International Crisis Group To Offer 20 Solutions To NK Conflict

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP TO OFFER 20 SOLUTIONS TO NK CONFLICT

ARMINFO News Agency
October 6, 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6. ARMINFO. Shortly the International Crisis Group
will publish a new report on the Karabakh issue. The report will be
exclusively about the peace talks and will offer 20 ways to resolve
the conflict.

The group member Sabina Freiser who is presently attending the NATO
Rose Roth seminar in Yerevan says that the report proposes holding
referendum exclusively among the Armenians of Karabakh and the Azeri
who will move there. The date of the referendum should be fixed by
the international community who based on its results will decide if
Karabakh can be sovereign and if the Karabakh authorities can ensure
the protection of the ethnic minorities.

Freiser says that the Armenian and Azeri authorities should guide
their societies as the nations are not ready for concessions. The
resolution will become possible only when the public opinion is shaped
into more tolerant attitude. Freiser says that today resumption of war
is more possible than it was several years ago – in 2006 Azerbaijan’s
military budget will be equal to 60% of Armenia’s whole budget. This
all despite active peace talks and optimism by the OSCE MG.

At the same time the conflict can be resolved peacefully if the issue
of Karabakh’s status is put off while the other issues are settled or
if a referendum is held. The fact that the parties have realized that
the package resolution is unreal and that some territories should be
returned is already good, says Freiser.