PARTIES OF KARABAKH CONFLICT CANNOT REALIZE GRAVENESS OF SITUATION

Lragir/am
18/03/06

The year 2006 is the best time for the settlement of the conflict
over Karabakh, told the leader of the Christian Democratic Party
Khosrov Harutiunyan to news reporters on March 17. He thinks the
geopolitical atmosphere that has emerged thanks to the consonant
attitude of the world powers towards the region creates favorable
conditions for this. “We think the year 2006 will be the year of
settlement of the conflict over Karabakh. But it does not mean that
Armenia has to make compromises under Azerbaijani coercion,” says
Khosrov Harutiunyan. He believes that the Azerbaijani militarism is
for home consumption mainly, but is also directed at the world.

“Nevertheless, the right thing is to carry on the talks, because the
war will give nothing to either of the parties. I do not think that
the failure in Rambouillet drew the possibility of war closer. I do not
think, of course, that the war would be disastrous for Armenia, but it
is not a prospect for the region,” says Khosrov Harutiunyan. However,
he mentions that along with expressing willingness for carrying on the
talks Armenia should state to the international community that it would
not make compromises under the coercion of Azerbaijan. Compromises
should be achieved in the talks, says the leader of the Christian
Democratic Party. He thinks the future developments will outline
more clearly after the meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in
Istanbul on March 20.

“Of course, it should be noted that the parties are not fully aware
of the consequences of the delay of the settlement,” says Khosrov
Harutiunyan. The consequence might be a resolution that will not favor
any of the parties rather than war. Although presently the central
players in world politics are not pressing, they, especially the main
player – the United States, do not have time to wait, thinks Khosrov
Harutiunyan. “The United States has a special role in this process. In
the context of the problems they have set with regard to the region
it is apparent that the United States are short of time, and their
interests require rapid settlement of the existing problems. The
United States has a considerable potential of diplomatic pressure,
and it would be too ingenuous to think that they would not use this
potential,” says Khosrov Harutiunyan.

He thinks the parties should realize that if they do not reach an
agreement, a resolution will be imposed on them which will not favor
any of their interests.