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ARMENIAN DIASPORA HAMPERS SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT - LENNMARKER
News.Az
Fri 19 October 2012 05:54 GMT | 6:54 Local Time
News.Az interviews former special envoy of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly on Karabakh conflict and currently chairman of the Stockholm
International Institute of Research Goran Lennmarker.
How do you assess the situation in the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict today, years after you stopped dealing with this issue
closely in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly?
I can say that nothing special has changed over the past years. But
I consider that the conflict can be settled much quicker. Here it is
more about the intention to find the solution.
How do you see the solution to the problem?
Peaceful settlement means that both parties must come to a coordinated
variant. Otherwise, the achievement of peaceful settlement is
impossible. The issue which is considered the most critical to my
mind is that both countries search the solution appropriate for the
opposite party.
Thus, compromises are necessary. It is impossible to find the solution
which would meet the interests of one of the parties by 100%. I think
that it is difficult to find the solution.
I would like to distance from the Karabakh issue. You have recently
visited Azerbaijan, has the country changed much from the moment of
your recent visit?
Certainly. Every time when I come to Azerbaijan, I see more big houses,
developed infrastructure. Probably, Azerbaijan is the most rapidly
changing country in the world. This can be seen from the economic
development rates of the country. This is very important. I think
that today it is the time for changes in other spheres-education,
democratic reforms.
Azerbaijan's economy is often called the locomotive of the South
Caucasus. Can the successful economic development of the country
accelerate the settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
Yes, certainly. The president of Azerbaijan speaks about a very
important thing-the need to transform black oil into human gold. This
is certainly the indicator of the correct development of Azerbaijan,
like any other country. There is a need to develop human resources,
education and science.
In addition, it is easier to understand compromises with such
a climate. Only strong state can really be ready to attaining a
coordinated solution. This is important both for Azerbaijan, whose
1 million citizens want to return home and for Armenians who want to
feel safe. The matter is just about Armenians' concern that Armenia
is a very small country, a very poor country whose population faces
the issue of survival.
But Armenians have a strong Diaspora?
Exactly. And a very prospering diaspora which sometimes creates
problems. The matter is that Armenians in Armenia want peace. Because
they live in the region. Meanwhile, the Diaspora lives far beyond its
bounds-in California, in other places. These are mostly nationalists,
in the worst meaning of the word, as compared to Armenians in Armenia.
Armenians need the understanding that the only solution for Armenia
is the life in harmony in relations with its neighbors, especially,
certainly, with Azerbaijan.
F.H.
News.Az
Fri 19 October 2012 05:54 GMT | 6:54 Local Time
News.Az interviews former special envoy of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly on Karabakh conflict and currently chairman of the Stockholm
International Institute of Research Goran Lennmarker.
How do you assess the situation in the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict today, years after you stopped dealing with this issue
closely in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly?
I can say that nothing special has changed over the past years. But
I consider that the conflict can be settled much quicker. Here it is
more about the intention to find the solution.
How do you see the solution to the problem?
Peaceful settlement means that both parties must come to a coordinated
variant. Otherwise, the achievement of peaceful settlement is
impossible. The issue which is considered the most critical to my
mind is that both countries search the solution appropriate for the
opposite party.
Thus, compromises are necessary. It is impossible to find the solution
which would meet the interests of one of the parties by 100%. I think
that it is difficult to find the solution.
I would like to distance from the Karabakh issue. You have recently
visited Azerbaijan, has the country changed much from the moment of
your recent visit?
Certainly. Every time when I come to Azerbaijan, I see more big houses,
developed infrastructure. Probably, Azerbaijan is the most rapidly
changing country in the world. This can be seen from the economic
development rates of the country. This is very important. I think
that today it is the time for changes in other spheres-education,
democratic reforms.
Azerbaijan's economy is often called the locomotive of the South
Caucasus. Can the successful economic development of the country
accelerate the settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
Yes, certainly. The president of Azerbaijan speaks about a very
important thing-the need to transform black oil into human gold. This
is certainly the indicator of the correct development of Azerbaijan,
like any other country. There is a need to develop human resources,
education and science.
In addition, it is easier to understand compromises with such
a climate. Only strong state can really be ready to attaining a
coordinated solution. This is important both for Azerbaijan, whose
1 million citizens want to return home and for Armenians who want to
feel safe. The matter is just about Armenians' concern that Armenia
is a very small country, a very poor country whose population faces
the issue of survival.
But Armenians have a strong Diaspora?
Exactly. And a very prospering diaspora which sometimes creates
problems. The matter is that Armenians in Armenia want peace. Because
they live in the region. Meanwhile, the Diaspora lives far beyond its
bounds-in California, in other places. These are mostly nationalists,
in the worst meaning of the word, as compared to Armenians in Armenia.
Armenians need the understanding that the only solution for Armenia
is the life in harmony in relations with its neighbors, especially,
certainly, with Azerbaijan.
F.H.