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Today's Zaman, Turkey
July 29 2012
`Presidential elections' in Nagorno-Karabakh a blow to peace negotiations
29 July 2012 / LAMIYA ADILGIZI, Ä°STANBUL
Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory subject to an unresolved conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, has held `presidential elections,'
outraging Azerbaijan and drawing the attention of the international
community, which has condemned the polls as illegal and claimed that
the elections will damage the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
`The elections held in Nagorno-Karabakh will have a negative political
impact on peace negotiations,' said Orkhan Akbarov, chair of the
Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Coordination Council, in an
interview with Sunday's Zaman, adding: `These kinds of fake elections
are contrary to international law. First, they cause the tranquility
of the region to deteriorate; second, they stall the solution of the
conflict in the shortest possible time; third, they erode the mutual
trust between the two communities of Nagorno-Karabakh.'
Nagorno-Karabakh territory is internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, but is under the control of a de facto independent, but
unrecognized, Armenia-backed government. The conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988, and Armenian territorial claims
over Azerbaijan turned into a war after the Armenian invasion in 1991.
Since 1992, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent
regions.
Although there have been efforts to resolve the dispute through the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group
initiative, there has been no progress as of yet.
A Turkish analyst who declined to be named said in an interview with
Sunday's Zaman that the `presidential elections' will have little
effect on the conflict. `No major changes are expected. The status quo
will continue until a particular fracture happens,' said the expert,
adding that only loss of life could impact the status quo.
Although there has been a Russian-brokered cease-fire in place between
Armenia and Azerbaijan since 1994, there are sporadic breaches of the
agreement along the border. Violation of the cease-fire and the
exchange of bullets has caused loss of life on both sides. The most
recent victim of the border clash was an Azerbaijani army officer who
died of a gunshot fired by an Armenian sniper located on the contact
line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on July 20.
>From time to time, these intermittent border clashes escalate into a
real threat of war. One such example occurred nearly one month ago, in
early June, when a bloody border skirmish left eight soldiers -- five
from Azerbaijan and three from Armenia -- dead, reminding the world
once more that the cease-fire does not mean the conflict has been
suspended.
However, Rovshan Ä°brahimov, head of the department of foreign policy
analysis at the Baku-based Center for Strategic Research, says the
`presidential elections' will not intensify the border skirmishes or
provoke warfare. `The border skirmishes that started on June 5 were
just an intensified state of border clashes. The cease-fire is
steadily being violated. But violation does not mean the start of
warfare,' Ä°brahimov said, adding that Azerbaijan believes in a
peaceful settlement of the conflict and does not favor a military
undertaking to end it. However, referring to the elections, Ä°brahimov
stated that `this kind of step will undermine the ongoing peace
negotiations.'
Many countries, Turkey most significantly, as well as international
organizations such as the EU, OSCE and Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) stood by the Azerbaijani government while condemning
the `presidential elections' held in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the `presidential
elections' held in Nagorno-Karabakh, describing them as `contrary to
international law and the expectations of the international
community.'
Stating that such elections would be a clear violation of UN Security
Council resolutions and OSCE principles, the Foreign Ministry claimed
that they are `just another example of efforts to unilaterally
legitimize the status quo going against international law' in the
disputed region.
Although the OSCE shares the same view as Turkey is not recognizing
the so-called elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia reacted against
Turkey's statement emphasizing that Turkey has no right to declare any
opinion regarding the region. Harshly criticizing Turkey for its
remark, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan first
urged Turkey to `tutor' Azerbaijan on democracy and later belittled
Turkey for its Cyprus policy, stating, `Instead of giving us lessons
[on international law], Turkey should withdraw its military mission
from north Cyprus under Turkish occupation.'
Akbarov says this once more demonstrates that the borders between
Armenia and Turkey should be closed `until Armenia ceases its offenses
against both Azerbaijan and Turkey.' Nagorno-Karabakh, a suspended
conflict since the early `90s, has been a central issue in
Azerbaijani-Armenian and Turkish-Armenian relations. Turkey closed its
border with Armenia after Yerevan commenced aggression against
Azerbaijan that resulted in the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent territories.
`Armenia's deconstructive step of holding fake `presidential
elections' in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's territory being occupied
by Armenia in a bloody war, are matters harshly condemned by the
entire international community, which once more shows that Armenia is
in the wrong,' Akbarov said.
Meanwhile, the EU has likewise repudiated the `presidential elections'
in the disputed region.
`These `elections' should not prejudice the determination of the
future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I recall the EU's firm
support for the OSCE Minsk Group ¦ aimed at a peaceful resolution of
the conflict,' said Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief,
in an official statement released on July 19.
Commenting on the war of words between Turkey and Armenia, Ä°brahimov
said Armenia's words to Turkey regarding Cyprus are nonsense and
nothing more than absurd rhetoric. `All this is pointless verbosity
and works against Armenia in the region as it will not bring anything
positive to Armenia. On the contrary, it will worsen Armenia's
position in the region.'
From: Baghdasarian
July 29 2012
`Presidential elections' in Nagorno-Karabakh a blow to peace negotiations
29 July 2012 / LAMIYA ADILGIZI, Ä°STANBUL
Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory subject to an unresolved conflict
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, has held `presidential elections,'
outraging Azerbaijan and drawing the attention of the international
community, which has condemned the polls as illegal and claimed that
the elections will damage the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
`The elections held in Nagorno-Karabakh will have a negative political
impact on peace negotiations,' said Orkhan Akbarov, chair of the
Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh Coordination Council, in an
interview with Sunday's Zaman, adding: `These kinds of fake elections
are contrary to international law. First, they cause the tranquility
of the region to deteriorate; second, they stall the solution of the
conflict in the shortest possible time; third, they erode the mutual
trust between the two communities of Nagorno-Karabakh.'
Nagorno-Karabakh territory is internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, but is under the control of a de facto independent, but
unrecognized, Armenia-backed government. The conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988, and Armenian territorial claims
over Azerbaijan turned into a war after the Armenian invasion in 1991.
Since 1992, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent
regions.
Although there have been efforts to resolve the dispute through the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group
initiative, there has been no progress as of yet.
A Turkish analyst who declined to be named said in an interview with
Sunday's Zaman that the `presidential elections' will have little
effect on the conflict. `No major changes are expected. The status quo
will continue until a particular fracture happens,' said the expert,
adding that only loss of life could impact the status quo.
Although there has been a Russian-brokered cease-fire in place between
Armenia and Azerbaijan since 1994, there are sporadic breaches of the
agreement along the border. Violation of the cease-fire and the
exchange of bullets has caused loss of life on both sides. The most
recent victim of the border clash was an Azerbaijani army officer who
died of a gunshot fired by an Armenian sniper located on the contact
line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on July 20.
>From time to time, these intermittent border clashes escalate into a
real threat of war. One such example occurred nearly one month ago, in
early June, when a bloody border skirmish left eight soldiers -- five
from Azerbaijan and three from Armenia -- dead, reminding the world
once more that the cease-fire does not mean the conflict has been
suspended.
However, Rovshan Ä°brahimov, head of the department of foreign policy
analysis at the Baku-based Center for Strategic Research, says the
`presidential elections' will not intensify the border skirmishes or
provoke warfare. `The border skirmishes that started on June 5 were
just an intensified state of border clashes. The cease-fire is
steadily being violated. But violation does not mean the start of
warfare,' Ä°brahimov said, adding that Azerbaijan believes in a
peaceful settlement of the conflict and does not favor a military
undertaking to end it. However, referring to the elections, Ä°brahimov
stated that `this kind of step will undermine the ongoing peace
negotiations.'
Many countries, Turkey most significantly, as well as international
organizations such as the EU, OSCE and Organization of Islamic
Cooperation (OIC) stood by the Azerbaijani government while condemning
the `presidential elections' held in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the `presidential
elections' held in Nagorno-Karabakh, describing them as `contrary to
international law and the expectations of the international
community.'
Stating that such elections would be a clear violation of UN Security
Council resolutions and OSCE principles, the Foreign Ministry claimed
that they are `just another example of efforts to unilaterally
legitimize the status quo going against international law' in the
disputed region.
Although the OSCE shares the same view as Turkey is not recognizing
the so-called elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia reacted against
Turkey's statement emphasizing that Turkey has no right to declare any
opinion regarding the region. Harshly criticizing Turkey for its
remark, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan first
urged Turkey to `tutor' Azerbaijan on democracy and later belittled
Turkey for its Cyprus policy, stating, `Instead of giving us lessons
[on international law], Turkey should withdraw its military mission
from north Cyprus under Turkish occupation.'
Akbarov says this once more demonstrates that the borders between
Armenia and Turkey should be closed `until Armenia ceases its offenses
against both Azerbaijan and Turkey.' Nagorno-Karabakh, a suspended
conflict since the early `90s, has been a central issue in
Azerbaijani-Armenian and Turkish-Armenian relations. Turkey closed its
border with Armenia after Yerevan commenced aggression against
Azerbaijan that resulted in the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent territories.
`Armenia's deconstructive step of holding fake `presidential
elections' in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan's territory being occupied
by Armenia in a bloody war, are matters harshly condemned by the
entire international community, which once more shows that Armenia is
in the wrong,' Akbarov said.
Meanwhile, the EU has likewise repudiated the `presidential elections'
in the disputed region.
`These `elections' should not prejudice the determination of the
future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I recall the EU's firm
support for the OSCE Minsk Group ¦ aimed at a peaceful resolution of
the conflict,' said Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief,
in an official statement released on July 19.
Commenting on the war of words between Turkey and Armenia, Ä°brahimov
said Armenia's words to Turkey regarding Cyprus are nonsense and
nothing more than absurd rhetoric. `All this is pointless verbosity
and works against Armenia in the region as it will not bring anything
positive to Armenia. On the contrary, it will worsen Armenia's
position in the region.'
From: Baghdasarian