Armenian foreign minister denies “humanitarian crisis” in Karabakh

Arminfo
Dec 07, 2004

Yerevan, 7 December: In the process of the peaceful settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, Armenia remains loyal to the Minsk process
[OSCE Minsk Group] and expects the same attitude from Azerbaijan,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said while touching on the
problem of settling the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict in his address to
the 12th session of the OSCE Council of Ministers in Sofia.

In this connection, Oskanyan recalled the four meetings between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani ministers and the Astana meeting of
the two countries’ presidents where certain progress was made,
the public relations department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry
told Arminfo news agency. Vardan Oskanyan expressed his regret
that Azerbaijan, having raised the issue of refugees with the UN,
shifted the problem from the constructive path. In counterbalance
to Azerbaijani propaganda which presents Azerbaijan as a victim, the
Armenian foreign minister recalled the roots of the conflict and the
causes of today’s realities. A group of Council of Europe deputies who
visited Nagornyy Karabakh during fierce fighting in 1992 noted that
“villages were completely destroyed, thousands of people were killed
and children were subjected to violence as a result of Azerbaijani
attacks. Taking account of Azerbaijan’s military advantage, we can
presume that only a few weeks are left to the catastrophe of Nagornyy
Karabakh, which will be followed by genocide and forced eviction,”
Vardan Oskanyan quoted the aforesaid group as saying in a statement.

He also recalled the 500,000 Armenians forced to leave Baku and
the conflict zone who are also waiting for the settlement of
the conflict. As for the settlement of the territories [by ethnic
Armenians], Vardan Oskanyan pointed out again that neither Armenia nor
Nagornyy Karabakh are conducting a state policy in this sphere. On the
contrary, such a policy is being conducted in Azerbaijan, the minister
stressed, recalling relevant decrees by the Azerbaijani president
to settle previously Armenian-populated territories in Shaumyan ,
Getashen and northern Mardakert occupied by Azerbaijan. According to
the same decree, the Oil Fund of Azerbaijan allocated 18m dollars for
settling Azerbaijanis in the aforesaid districts, although Armenians
waiting for the settlement of the conflict are still living there. The
UN has issued a report instructing Azerbaijan to find alternative
places of residence for them, Vardan Oskanyan recalled.

In other words, there is no humanitarian crisis today, the minister
stressed. The situation is equally complex for both sides, which
should not be used for speculative purposes, but should be seen
as part of the complex process. For this reason, Armenia continues
to remain loyal to the Minsk process and expects the same attitude
from Azerbaijan, the Armenian foreign minister said at the end of
his speech.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress