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Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
July 19 2013
Karabakh official comments on Turkish, Azeri FMs' remarks on peace talks
[Translated from Armenian]
Nagornyy Karabakh president's press secretary Davit Babayan has given
an interview to the Armenian Hayots Ashkharh newspaper, commenting on
the recent remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his
Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov made at their joint news
conference, where they expressed dissatisfaction with the mediation of
the OSCE Minsk Group in the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict. In addition,
Turkey expressed full support for Azerbaijan's position in the peace
talks.
Babayan said that Azerbaijan's position in the talks was very much
concentrated on territorial issues. He added that Azerbaijan was now
circulating the notion of "West Azerbaijan", implying the whole of
Armenia under the term, thus defying Armenia's territorial integrity.
"The Azerbaijani side takes every opportunity to announce that the
current Republic of Armenia was also created on 'Azerbaijani'
territories, pushing ahead the notion of so-called 'West Azerbaijan,'"
Babayan said adding: "In these circumstances, it is really difficult
to imagine how we could arrive at a comprehensive solution".
Babayan also opined that keeping the current status-quo could also be
a sort of solution, as it provided an opportunity to establish
regional stability, while changes could be dangerous. "Why should we
break fragile regional stability and include new elements in the
[peace] process, which could blow up the situation?" Babayan said.
He also expressed scepticism about prospects of a prompt peaceful
resolution to the conflict due to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's
legitimacy problems. "Unfortunately, I think that in the coming five
years, [Azerbaijan's] rhetoric will grow harder, because, Aliyev,
albeit he could ensure legal grounds for being re-elected for a third
term, still has serious legitimacy problems," Babayan said.
Commenting on Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's remarks that
the OSCE Minsk Group has become inefficient and that Turkey supported
Azerbaijan in the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Babayan said that the
statements were linked to domestic problems that the ruling elite was
trying to smother with the help of pan-Turkic ideology.
"After Erdogan's coming to power, radical changes took place in
Turkey. The role of the Army decreased and the ruling elite is anxious
about the Arab spring expanding to Turkey. In order to show that they
are adequate to society, they boost nationalism, promoting pan-Turkic
ideas," Babayan said, adding that he expected that Turkey would harden
its position on the Karabakh issue.
July 19 2013
Karabakh official comments on Turkish, Azeri FMs' remarks on peace talks
[Translated from Armenian]
Nagornyy Karabakh president's press secretary Davit Babayan has given
an interview to the Armenian Hayots Ashkharh newspaper, commenting on
the recent remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his
Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov made at their joint news
conference, where they expressed dissatisfaction with the mediation of
the OSCE Minsk Group in the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict. In addition,
Turkey expressed full support for Azerbaijan's position in the peace
talks.
Babayan said that Azerbaijan's position in the talks was very much
concentrated on territorial issues. He added that Azerbaijan was now
circulating the notion of "West Azerbaijan", implying the whole of
Armenia under the term, thus defying Armenia's territorial integrity.
"The Azerbaijani side takes every opportunity to announce that the
current Republic of Armenia was also created on 'Azerbaijani'
territories, pushing ahead the notion of so-called 'West Azerbaijan,'"
Babayan said adding: "In these circumstances, it is really difficult
to imagine how we could arrive at a comprehensive solution".
Babayan also opined that keeping the current status-quo could also be
a sort of solution, as it provided an opportunity to establish
regional stability, while changes could be dangerous. "Why should we
break fragile regional stability and include new elements in the
[peace] process, which could blow up the situation?" Babayan said.
He also expressed scepticism about prospects of a prompt peaceful
resolution to the conflict due to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's
legitimacy problems. "Unfortunately, I think that in the coming five
years, [Azerbaijan's] rhetoric will grow harder, because, Aliyev,
albeit he could ensure legal grounds for being re-elected for a third
term, still has serious legitimacy problems," Babayan said.
Commenting on Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's remarks that
the OSCE Minsk Group has become inefficient and that Turkey supported
Azerbaijan in the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Babayan said that the
statements were linked to domestic problems that the ruling elite was
trying to smother with the help of pan-Turkic ideology.
"After Erdogan's coming to power, radical changes took place in
Turkey. The role of the Army decreased and the ruling elite is anxious
about the Arab spring expanding to Turkey. In order to show that they
are adequate to society, they boost nationalism, promoting pan-Turkic
ideas," Babayan said, adding that he expected that Turkey would harden
its position on the Karabakh issue.