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CU AND KARABAKH: ARMENIA'S INTEGRATION WITH RUSSIA-LED BLOC SIGNIFIES NEW STAGE IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
KARABAKH | 17.09.13 | 09:59
Photo: www.president.am
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
The subject of Nagorno-Karabakh has become more topical in the light
of the consent of the president of Armenia to join the Russia-led
Customs Union (CU). The decision announced on September 3 gave
rise to assertions that a new stage will come in the settlement and
that competition between the West and Russia around this issue will
become stiffer.
The new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, James Warlick,
who visited the region last week, said that a new 'realistic
path' should be found to solve the conflict. He suggests advancing
confidence-building measures and contacts that, apparently, will not so
much help resolve as 'freeze' the conflict and preserve the status quo.
Neither Armenian nor Russian officials have said a word about how
Karabakh will be related to the Customs Union. Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian only noted that Karabakh will not suffer.
Many officials, however, argue that there are no clear agreements on
this point.
But at the expert level, there are opinions that depending on the
wishes of Armenia and Azerbaijan to integrate into the Eurasian
community, Russia may take active steps on Karabakh. This may be even
the recognition of Karabakh as revenge on Azerbaijan, or a 'little war'
with the division of Karabakh - if Armenia behaves badly.
Azerbaijani expert Rauf Mirkadyrov generally believes that Russia
could simply recognize Karabakh as its integral part. Moreover,
in a few weeks the 200th anniversary of the Treaty of Gulistan will
be marked and under that treaty the Karabakh part of Armenia from
Persian control passed to Russian one.
But Europe is likely to have decided to establish closer ties and
direct relationship with Karabakh. In the past several days Stepanakert
was visited by members of the Danish and German parliaments, as well
as representatives of well-known European brands, who announced plans
for establishing garment factories in Karabakh.
In addition, in the light of Armenia's accession to the Customs Union
European officials said that it is time Europe strengthened its role
in the negotiations on the Karabakh settlement.
On October 2, when Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is to speak at
the PACE session in Strasbourg in connection with the completion of
Armenia's chairmanship of the Council of Europe, issues connected
with the Karabakh settlement are likely to be in the focus as well.
In Karabakh itself officials seem to be a little indifferent to these
processes. Press secretary of Karabakh's president David Babayan,
for example, 'diplomatically' said that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
should have good relations with all countries where there is Armenian
Diaspora.
And Karabakh Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, talking to media, said
that Karabakh should not be mixed in the Armenian-Russian relations.
He warned: if we talk a lot about Karabakh, we could spoil what we
have there by default.
What could Armenia's accession to the Customs Union give to Karabakh?
In an interview with Deutsche Welle political scientist and former
adviser to the U.S. president on national security affairs Zbigniew
Brzezinski, answering the question about how much politics there is
hidden behind the creation of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus
and Kazakhstan, said that in fact there is even nothing hidden there.
According to him, it is quite obvious that the essence of the union
is to try to subdue one independent post-Soviet country after another.
KARABAKH | 17.09.13 | 09:59
Photo: www.president.am
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
The subject of Nagorno-Karabakh has become more topical in the light
of the consent of the president of Armenia to join the Russia-led
Customs Union (CU). The decision announced on September 3 gave
rise to assertions that a new stage will come in the settlement and
that competition between the West and Russia around this issue will
become stiffer.
The new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, James Warlick,
who visited the region last week, said that a new 'realistic
path' should be found to solve the conflict. He suggests advancing
confidence-building measures and contacts that, apparently, will not so
much help resolve as 'freeze' the conflict and preserve the status quo.
Neither Armenian nor Russian officials have said a word about how
Karabakh will be related to the Customs Union. Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian only noted that Karabakh will not suffer.
Many officials, however, argue that there are no clear agreements on
this point.
But at the expert level, there are opinions that depending on the
wishes of Armenia and Azerbaijan to integrate into the Eurasian
community, Russia may take active steps on Karabakh. This may be even
the recognition of Karabakh as revenge on Azerbaijan, or a 'little war'
with the division of Karabakh - if Armenia behaves badly.
Azerbaijani expert Rauf Mirkadyrov generally believes that Russia
could simply recognize Karabakh as its integral part. Moreover,
in a few weeks the 200th anniversary of the Treaty of Gulistan will
be marked and under that treaty the Karabakh part of Armenia from
Persian control passed to Russian one.
But Europe is likely to have decided to establish closer ties and
direct relationship with Karabakh. In the past several days Stepanakert
was visited by members of the Danish and German parliaments, as well
as representatives of well-known European brands, who announced plans
for establishing garment factories in Karabakh.
In addition, in the light of Armenia's accession to the Customs Union
European officials said that it is time Europe strengthened its role
in the negotiations on the Karabakh settlement.
On October 2, when Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is to speak at
the PACE session in Strasbourg in connection with the completion of
Armenia's chairmanship of the Council of Europe, issues connected
with the Karabakh settlement are likely to be in the focus as well.
In Karabakh itself officials seem to be a little indifferent to these
processes. Press secretary of Karabakh's president David Babayan,
for example, 'diplomatically' said that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
should have good relations with all countries where there is Armenian
Diaspora.
And Karabakh Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, talking to media, said
that Karabakh should not be mixed in the Armenian-Russian relations.
He warned: if we talk a lot about Karabakh, we could spoil what we
have there by default.
What could Armenia's accession to the Customs Union give to Karabakh?
In an interview with Deutsche Welle political scientist and former
adviser to the U.S. president on national security affairs Zbigniew
Brzezinski, answering the question about how much politics there is
hidden behind the creation of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus
and Kazakhstan, said that in fact there is even nothing hidden there.
According to him, it is quite obvious that the essence of the union
is to try to subdue one independent post-Soviet country after another.