ICG: CONDITIONS FOR KARABAKH STATUS DETERMINATION CAN BE CREATED IN 12-15 YEARS
Pan Armenian News
12.09.2005 08:40
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The International Crisis Group (ICG) has issued a
report containing proposals on the Karabakh conflict settlement, Vice
President Alain Deletroz stated during today’s press conference. In
his words, in its report the Group studies the positions of the
parties without reverting to the history. He also noted that history
is debatable and consequently cannot promote the resolution of the
conflict, since there are notions such as self-determination and
territorial integrity. One of the proposals intended for Armenia in the
report sounds as follows: “the withdrawal of troops from the seized
territories, establishment of bilateral relations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan and the determination of Karabakh’s status in 12-15
years; the process should be a democratic one.” When commenting on
the term mentioned Mr. Deletroz noted that the period is meant for
the formation of conditions essential for the determination of the
status of Karabakh.
“People should learn to live together again and the necessary
conditions should be created”, he noted. When commenting on the
statement by Ilham Aliyev, who said that next year the Azerbaijani
military budget will make as much as Armenia’s state budget
Mr. Deletroz noted that armament race would be very dangerous and
such position is incorrect. “It is senseless to withdraw troops if
Azerbaijan holds such a position. In this case the withdrawal can lead
to a military conflict”, he said. In her turn, Sabine Freizer, Director
of Crisis Group’s Caucasus Project stated that the Karabakh leadership
was proposed “to stop settling the territories, specifically Lachin,
Kelbajar and Aghdam”. However she noted that mass settlement was not
fixed on these territories. She also informed that the Group has been
working on the report during recent 9 months. During this period 9
people constantly worked in the region. According to Ms. Freizer,
the report will raise the awareness of the parties to conflict and
the international community. The ICG has elaborated three reports:
for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. The report will be
presented on September 14.