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James Warlick: Armenian and Azerbaijani people will not agree with
unacceptable option of conflict settlement
18:05 06/02/2014 >> REGION
"We were actually encouraged after November 19th, (Armenian -
Azerbaijani presidents' meeting date in Vienna-edit.). There was a
period when ceasefire was respected by both sides. The number of
incidents felt dramatically. We took that as an encouraging sign. Now
we know that ceasefire is very fragile. Events of past few weeks
demonstrated that," US co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick
stated at the interview given to Azerbaijani news agency APA.
Answering to the question how does the tension influence the
negotiation process the diplomat said, "The new tensions are not
helpful as we try to move forward. We need to ensure that there is
trust on all sides that the atmosphere is conducive to make progress.
We hope that the ceasefire can be respected especially we are entering
the period of Olympics in just few days. I hope that both parties can
commit themselves to fully respect the ceasefire."
According to James Warlick the new tensions do have an impact on
negotiations. "I think one of the difficulties is that after 20 years
no peace-no war there is distrust between the parties. That's why the
respect of ceasefire is important to try to build up that trust in
each other in that confidence in all sides. And we, as mediators,
would like to try to build on that. The ceasefire is fragile, we
understand that it is not perfect ceasefire and we are not looking for
that," James Warlick said.
The American diplomat stressed that the OSCE Minsk Group wants to see
the commitments from all parties to respect the ceasefire and minimize
violence, deaths and injuries not only on the line of contact but on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as well.
Answering to the question whether there is a direct link between the
negotiation process and the ceasefire violation, James Warlick noted
that he is familiar with such interpretation of the events, but is not
able to prove them.
"I think incidents wherever it happen are regrettable. There is a
ceasefire, but both sides are balance, there is a war going on; the
military forces are located one in front of another along the contact
line, and this is a dangerous situation. We would like to see this
issue settled. If this conflict is solved in durable way it will
signify a new era of prosperity for the region," he said.
The OSCE US co-chair noted that the resources that are being wasted in
this conflict over the period of two decades could be much better put
in use for the well being of the people of both countries and for the
prosperity of the region. "I hope that the people of Azerbaijan and
Armenia will not consider this as only a territorial conflict, but
also as a way of prosperity for the future.
Answering the question how the mediators analyze the fact of increase
of ceasefire violations on the line of contact, James Warlick stated,
"It is difficult to obtain these facts. There are OSCE monitors, but
they are in very small numbers and they are able to visit the line of
contact on very infrequent basis. There is no other independent way of
verifying incidents. So it is very difficult for the Minsk group or
anyone to say how the incident started. We know there deaths and
injuries on both sides, sometimes it includes innocent civilians."
The U.S. diplomat stated that the co-chairs have held a meeting with
the president of Azerbaijan in Baku and are intended to visit also
Yerevan. He also noted that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
will decide whether the meeting of presidents of both countries will
take place, or not, and if it will, where it will be held.
"We will continue working with both presidents and foreign ministers;
we will continue holding interesting discussion with all parties and
will try to facilitate a way forward. It is hard to predict what the
next step will be until we reach Yerevan, but we are, certainly,
intended to continue the dialogue. After the November 19th meeting the
two presidents renewed their commitment on peace process and they are
going to work together on this. They said that they are planning to
meet again. We need to make sure that this meeting will be a useful
one. It is up to the presidents to decide the date of the meeting,"
noted the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair.
James Warlick also expressed hope that the co-chairs will continue
their activities, will continue to put forward new ideas in the same
time working with the two sides in order to find a way forward.
Answering the question how successful were the two meetings held by
the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in Paris and Kiev, after
which the FM of Azerbaijan stated that it differed from the previous
meetings as "concrete issues had been discussed", James Warlick said,
"The ministers are discussing the most difficult and sensitive issues.
And there is no need to tell you what kind of issues they are. These
are the key issues of the conflict. It is hard to discuss them, it's
hard to find a way forward. These are negotiations, and we want to see
in these negotiations not acceptable compromise made by one side or
another. People of Armenia or Azerbaijan will not accept such a
decision."
As James Warlick noted the OSCE Minsk Group tries to find a way
forward which will insure the victory, success for the two countries.
"The way forward is when both countries can stand up and say: "Yes,
this is a way taking to a new era of peace and prosperity for our
people. And that is not easy. In the case of Nagorno Karabakh it is
more than 20 years that this issue has been allowed to stagnate and no
progress has been made. Isn't it time to see peace?! It is an anchor
that is waging down the region. And what we are supposed to do is to
get rid of that anchor so that there can be possibility of peace and
prosperity that the whole region deserves," the U.S. diplomat summed
up.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2014/02/06/james-warlick-az/
From: A. Papazian
unacceptable option of conflict settlement
18:05 06/02/2014 >> REGION
"We were actually encouraged after November 19th, (Armenian -
Azerbaijani presidents' meeting date in Vienna-edit.). There was a
period when ceasefire was respected by both sides. The number of
incidents felt dramatically. We took that as an encouraging sign. Now
we know that ceasefire is very fragile. Events of past few weeks
demonstrated that," US co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick
stated at the interview given to Azerbaijani news agency APA.
Answering to the question how does the tension influence the
negotiation process the diplomat said, "The new tensions are not
helpful as we try to move forward. We need to ensure that there is
trust on all sides that the atmosphere is conducive to make progress.
We hope that the ceasefire can be respected especially we are entering
the period of Olympics in just few days. I hope that both parties can
commit themselves to fully respect the ceasefire."
According to James Warlick the new tensions do have an impact on
negotiations. "I think one of the difficulties is that after 20 years
no peace-no war there is distrust between the parties. That's why the
respect of ceasefire is important to try to build up that trust in
each other in that confidence in all sides. And we, as mediators,
would like to try to build on that. The ceasefire is fragile, we
understand that it is not perfect ceasefire and we are not looking for
that," James Warlick said.
The American diplomat stressed that the OSCE Minsk Group wants to see
the commitments from all parties to respect the ceasefire and minimize
violence, deaths and injuries not only on the line of contact but on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as well.
Answering to the question whether there is a direct link between the
negotiation process and the ceasefire violation, James Warlick noted
that he is familiar with such interpretation of the events, but is not
able to prove them.
"I think incidents wherever it happen are regrettable. There is a
ceasefire, but both sides are balance, there is a war going on; the
military forces are located one in front of another along the contact
line, and this is a dangerous situation. We would like to see this
issue settled. If this conflict is solved in durable way it will
signify a new era of prosperity for the region," he said.
The OSCE US co-chair noted that the resources that are being wasted in
this conflict over the period of two decades could be much better put
in use for the well being of the people of both countries and for the
prosperity of the region. "I hope that the people of Azerbaijan and
Armenia will not consider this as only a territorial conflict, but
also as a way of prosperity for the future.
Answering the question how the mediators analyze the fact of increase
of ceasefire violations on the line of contact, James Warlick stated,
"It is difficult to obtain these facts. There are OSCE monitors, but
they are in very small numbers and they are able to visit the line of
contact on very infrequent basis. There is no other independent way of
verifying incidents. So it is very difficult for the Minsk group or
anyone to say how the incident started. We know there deaths and
injuries on both sides, sometimes it includes innocent civilians."
The U.S. diplomat stated that the co-chairs have held a meeting with
the president of Azerbaijan in Baku and are intended to visit also
Yerevan. He also noted that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
will decide whether the meeting of presidents of both countries will
take place, or not, and if it will, where it will be held.
"We will continue working with both presidents and foreign ministers;
we will continue holding interesting discussion with all parties and
will try to facilitate a way forward. It is hard to predict what the
next step will be until we reach Yerevan, but we are, certainly,
intended to continue the dialogue. After the November 19th meeting the
two presidents renewed their commitment on peace process and they are
going to work together on this. They said that they are planning to
meet again. We need to make sure that this meeting will be a useful
one. It is up to the presidents to decide the date of the meeting,"
noted the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair.
James Warlick also expressed hope that the co-chairs will continue
their activities, will continue to put forward new ideas in the same
time working with the two sides in order to find a way forward.
Answering the question how successful were the two meetings held by
the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in Paris and Kiev, after
which the FM of Azerbaijan stated that it differed from the previous
meetings as "concrete issues had been discussed", James Warlick said,
"The ministers are discussing the most difficult and sensitive issues.
And there is no need to tell you what kind of issues they are. These
are the key issues of the conflict. It is hard to discuss them, it's
hard to find a way forward. These are negotiations, and we want to see
in these negotiations not acceptable compromise made by one side or
another. People of Armenia or Azerbaijan will not accept such a
decision."
As James Warlick noted the OSCE Minsk Group tries to find a way
forward which will insure the victory, success for the two countries.
"The way forward is when both countries can stand up and say: "Yes,
this is a way taking to a new era of peace and prosperity for our
people. And that is not easy. In the case of Nagorno Karabakh it is
more than 20 years that this issue has been allowed to stagnate and no
progress has been made. Isn't it time to see peace?! It is an anchor
that is waging down the region. And what we are supposed to do is to
get rid of that anchor so that there can be possibility of peace and
prosperity that the whole region deserves," the U.S. diplomat summed
up.
http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2014/02/06/james-warlick-az/
From: A. Papazian