AZG Armenian Daily #065, 13/04/2005

Poll

ARTSAKH ISSUE: 17-YEAR-OLD UNFINISHED STORY

7% of Respondents Will Leave Armenia if War Bursts Out

Around 25% of Armenian citizens is ready to join the army if the Nagorno
Karabakh war resumes, 42% is ready to support the front by doing other jobs,
more than 25% is ready to help with material and financial means. A public
opinion poll conducted among 1900 respondents in Yerevan and in all regions
of Armenia showed that 8% of Armenian citizens will by no means lend
support, around 7% will leave the country and 17% was hard to answer.

The results of the polls conducted by the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies among 60 experts of the Center and the population of
Armenia were presented by Stepan Safarian, expert of the Center, yesterday.
People were asked 23 questions and in some cases picked 2 answers because of
which the sum indices exceeded 100 percent.

Interestingly, the experts turned to be more patriotic than common citizens.
So, 39% of experts will go to war, 98% will help from the home front, 38%
will support materially and financially. None of the 60 “chosen” refused to
help the state in case of war. (Below we present the results of public poll
only – ed.).

21% of respondents thinks that Azerbaijan will resume war against Armenia
and Karabakh, 35% is of contrary view, 45% was hard to answer. Being asked
“Whether it is possible to settle the issue through negotiation in 5 years’
time?”, 25% said “yes”, 29% answered negatively and 46% was hard to answer.

Answering the question “What stymies the settlement of Karabakh issue?”, 37%
said, “the weakness of Armenian diplomacy and lobbying”, 26%, “complexity of
the issue”, 24%, “Azerbaijan’s uncomplying stance”, 19%, “US policy”, 15%,
“Russian policy”. It’s interesting that 5% of respondents named “Armenian
side’s uncomplying stance” as a barrier for the conflict settlement.

To question “What will be the final status of Nagorno Karabakh?”, 46% said,
“independent and sovereign state”, 38%, “part of Armenia”, 3%, “an autonomy
in the structure of Azerbaijan”. Half of respondents considered acceptable
to make concessions to Azerbaijan at the expense of the buffer zone:
Qashatakh (Lachin), Qarvatchar (Qelbajar), Aghdam, Fizuli, Zangelan,
Khubatli and Jebrail whereas 38% is against ceding these territories to
Azerbaijan.

36% labeled the Karabakh issue as a “component of the Armenian cause”, 33%
— an issue of Artsakhi people’s self-determination and 8% thinks that the
Karabakh issue is the result of “outer forces'” provocation.

As to the most valid argument for disjointing Nagorno Karabakh from
Azerbaijan, 44% noted that “it never was in the structure of Azerbaijan and
was forcefully united with it the Soviet period”, 26% said, “Armenians lived
in that territory for centuries”, 13%, “Armenians won the war”. 72% thinks
that Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan should participate in the
negotiations, 15% named Karabakh and Azerbaijan and 7% see Armenia and
Azerbaijan at a negotiation table.

“Who among the world powers and international organizations plays the key
role in the settlement process?” 60% indicated to Russia, 40% — USA, 19% —
EU, 19% — OSCE, 14% — UN.

By Tatoul Hakobian