AZG Armenian Daily
Nov 18 2004
ARMENIA WILL QUIT NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS
YEREVAN, 18.11.04. On November 16, RA Foreign Minister stated at the
parliament that the situation will totally change if Baku continues
its attempts to get adopted the formula on Nagorno Karabakh
settlement submitted to the UN and if the formula is adopted. In
fact, Azerbaijan will have to negotiate with Nagorno Karabakh, Vartan
Oskanian said.
According to `Regnum` agency, Oskanian said that either Armenia will
continue negotiations with Azerbaijan within the framework of the
OSCE Minsk group and in the context of the achieved agreements, or
Azerbaijan should conduct negotiations with Karabakh or with Armenia
with the participation of Karabakh`s side. Answering the question
whether a dead-end situation can occur in the negotiation process as
a result of the issue`s discussion at the UN, Oskanian said that
there can be unpredictable results.
Two days ago, RA President said no progress is observed because
Nagorno Karabakh representatives don`t participate in the negotiation
process and Baku wants to conduct negotiations with Armenia only.
That`s why he has to represent also the position of Karabakh in the
negotiation process. Kocharian emphasized that that is a wrong
negotiation format and doesn`t express the essence of the conflict.
Last time Nagorno Karabakh participated in the negotiation process
was in April of 1997 in Moscow (of course, if we don`t take into
consideration the periodical visits of the co-chairs to Stepanakert).
After that, the negotiation format changed and Stepanakert didn`t
participate in any negotiation. Recently, Yuri Merzliakov, Russian
co-chair of the OSCE Minks group, found it necessary that Nagorno
Karabakh should participate in the negotiations together with Turkey.
Bruce Jackson, Chairman of US Committee to Expand NATO, said: `I
don`t understand why Nagorno Karabakh doesn`t participate in the
conflict settlement talks.`
Armenia also finds it necessary for Karabakh to participate in the
negotiation, our country is even ready to quit the negotiation
process, but only in the case Baku tries to transfer the settlement
to other instances. If the negotiation process remains within the
framework of OSCE Minsk group, i.e. the so-called Prague process
begun as a result of Key West arrangements is continuing, the
participation of Karabakh is no primary.
Vladimir Kazimirov, Russia`s former representative in the settlement
of Nagorno Karabakh issue, in his last article dedicated to the UN
Formula N4 on Karabakh issue, adopted in 1993, strictly criticized
Azerbaijan that tries to pick up separate points from the settlement
package and seeks for their settlement at the UN, leaving aside the
essence of the conflict — Karabakh`s status. Kazimirov also
criticizes Armenia that replaces Nagorno Karabakh in the settlement
process and violates the true configuration of the conflict by that.
David Babayan, expert on Nagorno Karabakh settlement, noticed in the
interview that when the negotiation process is conducted by Armenia
only, it turns Nagorno Karabakh conflict into a territorial one and
`in this context we have very few opportunities to prove the
international community that we are right.` According to Babayan,
President Kocharian undertook the obligation to represent Karabakh
side, as the negotiations should be continued, but one can continue
them for the preservation of the process for some period, for a short
period and never forever.
`I believe that the only effective format that can give a push to the
settlement process, is when Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh conduct
negotiations. If the two sides don`t negotiate directly, then no
advance can be expected, as, finally, Karabakh should carry out the
arrangements,` the expert said.
Vahram Atanesian, chairman of NKR National Assembly`s Committee of
External Relations, as well as Babayan, is sure that the format that
existed before 1997 was not acceptable for Stepanakert and no
progress will be fixed, if they again apply it. It`s worth reminding
that before the April negotiations of 1997 Karabakh was included in
the negotiations as an interested side, according to the OSCE mandate
elaborated in Budapest. According to Azerbaijan, the representative
of the so-called Karabakh`s Azeri community also participated in the
negotiations as an interested side then.
`If we observe the issue in that aspect Armenia, Azerbaijan and NKR
should negotiate in a trilateral format when each of the sides will
have equal plenipotentiaries and obligations, this will be the most
desired version. As far as I know Baku doesn`t reject Karabakh`s
participation with the precondition that the so-called representative
of Karabakh`s Azeri community is included in the negotiation as well.
This format can create no full negotiation atmosphere, i.e. NKR`s
participation in the negotiations can`t be observed as an end in
itself. If the negotiation format is on the level of the presidents
of the sides in conflict, NKR president should participate in that
too,` Atanesian said.