Tweet
COMPROMISE AND THE HISTORICAL REALITY
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1210: compromise-and-the-historical-reality&catid=3:all&Itemid=4
Friday, 04 October 2013 17:11
Ignoring the history, Azerbaijan is inventing its own one
The October 2 speech of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at the PACE
plenary session in Strasbourg caused certain interest in the expert
community. Both in his speech and answers to the questions of the PACE
members, the Armenian leader distinctly presented the stance of the
Armenian leadership on key issues of both the domestic and foreign
policy. Surely, he also touched upon the Karabakh settlement process
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Surely, it isn't the first time that Armenia's stance on this vital
issue is voiced. In Strasbourg, Serzh Sargsyan reconfirmed the
commitment of the Armenian party to the three principles proposed by
the MG co-chairmen as the basis for the issue's solution - the right
of nations to self-determination, territorial integrity, and non-use
of force or threat of force.
As we know, the international mediators consider them as a single
whole of the three equal principles, without belittling or praising
any of them. It is unlike Azerbaijan, which keeps asserting the
primacy of the principle of territorial integrity, in the framework of
which, as it believes, the conflict should be resolved. The Armenian
President also drew the attention of the European MPs to this
fact,explicitly emphasizing that the conflict should be resolved,
basing on mutual compromises and the simultaneous use of the tree
principles.
It should be noted that the issue of mutual compromises was repeatedly
touched upon in Serzh Sargsyan's speech. The head of state expressed
confidence that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be resolved only via
compromises. Despite the objective severity in the President's words
when speaking about the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan and the
possible consequences of a new war initiated by it, Serzh Sargsyan's
speech can be boldly called an appeal for peace. The matter is whether
this appeal will be heard by the current leadership of Azerbaijan,
which has its own, distinct from the sober, understanding of
compromises.
As expected, they didn't hear. Moreover, the Azerbaijani MFA assessed
as... territorial claims against the neighboring states the
President's words-warnings that `if Azerbaijan starts military
activities, Armenia will defend Nagorno Karabakh within its
possibilities'. `Threatening Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan is threatening
the entire region', stated the Azerbaijani MFA. Surely, without
noticing the funny side of its own situation, because it is well known
that it is Azerbaijan that has threatened with the resumption of war
for years and doesn't stop the arms race, `forgetting' the noted
security of the entire region.
But, let's recall the compromises, for which the Armenian President
and the international mediators call. Undoubtedly, they are possible
under a real and sober assessment of the existing situation and real
readiness for finding a peaceful solution at the negotiation table, at
which all the three parties have equal rights. To date, Azerbaijan is
lacking both of them. Otherwise, Baku wouldn't voice new statements on
an inevitable war, wouldn't again bring up to date the non-perspective
and unreal issue of a `dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
communities of Nagorno Karabakh'. It is well aware that there neither
was nor is an Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh, and there is the
Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh as the bearer of statehood both in
the period of the Soviet autonomy and the present independent
NagornoKarabakhRepublic.
Can we expect for a compromise, if the ruling regime of
Azerbaijan, ignoring the facts of history - both the ancient and
modern - continues raising ungrounded claims for
Nagorno-Karabakh?Azerbaijan realizes fully that history isn't an
additional, but it is even an important actor in the Karabakh
settlement process. That's why, despite the admitted scientific
history, it is creating «its own» and invented history to form the
so-called evidence base for proving its possession of Artsakh.
Time running is inexorable. Over twenty years have passed
since the NKR proclamation day, and it is also a history, which cannot
be turned back and cannot undergo any inspection. This is a reality,
which Azerbaijan and the mediators in the settlement process should
recognize and admit. Nagorno Karabakh has gained independence, which
is the result of its objective historical development. And today, we
need only that the international community legally validates this
reality. The international recognition of the NKR will let remove the
threat of a new war in the region and will create corresponding
conditions for peaceful coexistence of all the entities of the South
Caucasus. And a compromise solution will be the discussion by Baku and
Stepanakert, as equal partners, of the prospects of cooperation on a
wide range of problems accumulated greatly during the conflict
`thanks' toAzerbaijan.
Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper
From: A. Papazian
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1210: compromise-and-the-historical-reality&catid=3:all&Itemid=4
Friday, 04 October 2013 17:11
Ignoring the history, Azerbaijan is inventing its own one
The October 2 speech of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at the PACE
plenary session in Strasbourg caused certain interest in the expert
community. Both in his speech and answers to the questions of the PACE
members, the Armenian leader distinctly presented the stance of the
Armenian leadership on key issues of both the domestic and foreign
policy. Surely, he also touched upon the Karabakh settlement process
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Surely, it isn't the first time that Armenia's stance on this vital
issue is voiced. In Strasbourg, Serzh Sargsyan reconfirmed the
commitment of the Armenian party to the three principles proposed by
the MG co-chairmen as the basis for the issue's solution - the right
of nations to self-determination, territorial integrity, and non-use
of force or threat of force.
As we know, the international mediators consider them as a single
whole of the three equal principles, without belittling or praising
any of them. It is unlike Azerbaijan, which keeps asserting the
primacy of the principle of territorial integrity, in the framework of
which, as it believes, the conflict should be resolved. The Armenian
President also drew the attention of the European MPs to this
fact,explicitly emphasizing that the conflict should be resolved,
basing on mutual compromises and the simultaneous use of the tree
principles.
It should be noted that the issue of mutual compromises was repeatedly
touched upon in Serzh Sargsyan's speech. The head of state expressed
confidence that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be resolved only via
compromises. Despite the objective severity in the President's words
when speaking about the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan and the
possible consequences of a new war initiated by it, Serzh Sargsyan's
speech can be boldly called an appeal for peace. The matter is whether
this appeal will be heard by the current leadership of Azerbaijan,
which has its own, distinct from the sober, understanding of
compromises.
As expected, they didn't hear. Moreover, the Azerbaijani MFA assessed
as... territorial claims against the neighboring states the
President's words-warnings that `if Azerbaijan starts military
activities, Armenia will defend Nagorno Karabakh within its
possibilities'. `Threatening Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan is threatening
the entire region', stated the Azerbaijani MFA. Surely, without
noticing the funny side of its own situation, because it is well known
that it is Azerbaijan that has threatened with the resumption of war
for years and doesn't stop the arms race, `forgetting' the noted
security of the entire region.
But, let's recall the compromises, for which the Armenian President
and the international mediators call. Undoubtedly, they are possible
under a real and sober assessment of the existing situation and real
readiness for finding a peaceful solution at the negotiation table, at
which all the three parties have equal rights. To date, Azerbaijan is
lacking both of them. Otherwise, Baku wouldn't voice new statements on
an inevitable war, wouldn't again bring up to date the non-perspective
and unreal issue of a `dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
communities of Nagorno Karabakh'. It is well aware that there neither
was nor is an Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh, and there is the
Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh as the bearer of statehood both in
the period of the Soviet autonomy and the present independent
NagornoKarabakhRepublic.
Can we expect for a compromise, if the ruling regime of
Azerbaijan, ignoring the facts of history - both the ancient and
modern - continues raising ungrounded claims for
Nagorno-Karabakh?Azerbaijan realizes fully that history isn't an
additional, but it is even an important actor in the Karabakh
settlement process. That's why, despite the admitted scientific
history, it is creating «its own» and invented history to form the
so-called evidence base for proving its possession of Artsakh.
Time running is inexorable. Over twenty years have passed
since the NKR proclamation day, and it is also a history, which cannot
be turned back and cannot undergo any inspection. This is a reality,
which Azerbaijan and the mediators in the settlement process should
recognize and admit. Nagorno Karabakh has gained independence, which
is the result of its objective historical development. And today, we
need only that the international community legally validates this
reality. The international recognition of the NKR will let remove the
threat of a new war in the region and will create corresponding
conditions for peaceful coexistence of all the entities of the South
Caucasus. And a compromise solution will be the discussion by Baku and
Stepanakert, as equal partners, of the prospects of cooperation on a
wide range of problems accumulated greatly during the conflict
`thanks' toAzerbaijan.
Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper
From: A. Papazian