Embassy of The United States
Yerevan, Armenia

Digital Video Conference with Ambassador Mann
Covered by Arminfo, Armenpress, and Regnum
March 29, 2006

Ambassador Mann: I am glad for the opportunity to speak with the
press. I was there with Assistant Secretary Fried two weeks ago and
it’s an important time in our relations.

Arminfo news agency: Could you please talk about your meeting with
the French Co-Chairman in Istanbul? What was discussed? [Inaudible.]
Ambassador Mann: We met a little more that a week ago, I guess, in
Istanbul, and this was the French Co-Chair Ambassador Kasprzyk and
the assistant to our Russian colleague. Ambassador Merzlyakov was ill
so he could not be there. The purpose of the consultation was for me
to brief my colleagues on the discussions that took place in Baku
and Yerevan. This is when I was traveling with Assistant Secretary
Fried. We looked at potential future travel to the region. But we
reached no decisions at that stage about dates on traveling to the
region either individually or collectively. And we have no plans at
that stage or at this stage on hosting future meetings between the
foreign ministers or the presidents. We do not exclude the fact that
these might happen in the future, but we developed no plans for this.

Regnum news agency: Mr. Mann, I will ask my question in Russian. How
will you comment on the statement, or better the call, made by the
head of Nagorno-Karabakh addressed to Armenia to get out of the
negotiation process?

What do you think–is it something directed towards any party of the
negotiations? What is your opinion about this?

Ambassador Mann: I haven’t seen the statement so I can’t give a direct
commentary. But I can’t imagine that anyone of good will would want
the negotiations to stop. Because 2006 is our most promising year
to make some serious progress on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. And I
would hate to see the sides miss this opportunity and look back in
later years with regret.

Arminfo news agency: What do you think about numerous violations of
the ceasefire, which have resulted in casualties among the military
and civilian population. Do you think it is likely that war will
resume? Are you discussing the issue of cease fire violations by
Azerbaijan in your meetings with the Azerbaijanis?

Ambassador Mann: Cease fire violations are irresponsible and dangerous.

That’s a basic fact. We, the Co-Chairs, keep in close touch with
Ambassador Kasprzyk and his team on this. And these are a subject of
discussion with each side with each defense minister.

Arminfo news agency: What are the Co-Chairs doing to discourage
Azerbaijan from unleashing a new war? [Inaudible.]

Ambassador Mann: By far the best way to discourage a new war is to
get an agreement in months ahead. Stalemate breeds frustration. Lack
of progress, I believe as a general point, leads to more radical
solutions on each side. I believe absolutely, the United States
believes, that the way peace is best served is by taking that first
step towards an agreement in 2006. I don’t believe we can solve
the entire Nagorno-Karabakh issue in 2006. I think realistically the
process of the Karabakh settlement is going to be something that takes
places over many years. But I think this is our year, and these are
the months, to take that first important step. And I am absolutely
convinced that in the months ahead the two sides have the chance,
greatly to lower the dangers of a new war. I can’t believe that people
on any side of the conflict want a war to start again. But that’s the
remarkable thing is that in these months, in these negotiations, we
have the chance to take an enormous step back from the possibility of
war. Now, by no means I am predicting that a new war will break out in
the future. No one can predict the future. But having two armies face
each other across a line of contact is not a comfortable situation.

Armenpress: What in your mind will be a possible reply of the
international community if war is resumed? And could there be sanctions
imposed upon the party that unleashes the war?

Ambassador Mann: It’s too speculative a question to have an intelligent
comment on. It’s an intelligent question, but I don’t have an
intelligent answer. But the international community has already given
an answer. They gave an answer after the last major fighting. And
the answer of the international community is that we are not going
to be a judge, we are not going to be an arbitrator, but what we are
going to do is try and develop a negotiated solution between the two
sides. That is the answer of the international community.

Armenpress: Ambassador, you didn’t answer whether there could be
sanctions imposed upon a country that unleashes a war.

Ambassador Mann: I mean again, that’s just pure speculation.

Regnum news agency: Ambassador Mann, I would like to hear your opinion
about possibility of applying the Kosovo model to the resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Ambassador Mann: On that, we see that whatever might happen in
Kosovo does not set a precedent for any other area. Every conflict
has its individual roots and its individual history, and we have to
respect that fact. And I think it would do a great disservice to the
complexity of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict if we viewed it as being
in a mold or as a twin with other conflicts.

Armenpress news agency: Answering the first question, you did not
mention any dates for the possible meetings of the Co-Chairs and also
foreign ministers or presidents. But I would like to know the next
step will be.

Today you had a meeting with Foreign Minister Oskanian. So, what types
of meetings are planned for the future? Will it be a meeting between
the foreign ministers, or between the presidents? Just something
about the future steps please.

Ambassador Mann: I did not give nay dates because we don’t have
any. The Co-Chairs were very, very serious when we said that
Rambouillet was the point where we needed to get decisions from each
side. And we did not have anything up our sleeve as a backup in case
Rabouillet did not result in an agreement. Now, we the Co-Chairs
are trying to decide, trying to assess, how to move forward. I will
say that after the discussions I had in Baku with President Aliyev
and in Yerevan with President Kocharian, I am hopeful that we will
find a way to move forward. Those discussions lead me to believe
that the process has not stopped. And I had very good talks with
Foreign Minister Oskanian this week in Washington. I expect to have
a chance to see Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov, who is
also in Washington, on issues not related to Nagorno-Karabakh. And
the Co-Chairs and I are in contact with each other now to try and
find a point for us to consult again.

Probably some time, well definitely sometime in April, but we have
to work out our schedules.

Regnum news agency: Mr. Mann, do you think is it possible to reach any
progress on this issue without the participation of Nagorno-Karabakh?

Ambassador Mann: Well, I think progress is not only possible, it’s
necessary in the months ahead. As for the participation of Karabakh,
that has always been a question for the two sides to decide. And the
question to be asked is–does it move the negotiations ahead or does
it not? But the Co-Chairs have always had the position that if the two
sides agree, we support we support it, if the two sides don’t agree,
we support that as well. It’s whatever the two sides want.

Armenpress news agency: And to wrap up, Ambassador Mann, do you think
it is possible to come up with an agreement or to come up with a
signed document this year?

Ambassador Mann: Yes, I believe it is not only possible, but
necessary. The two sides have made a lot of progress and I believe
President Kocharian and President Aliyev deserve a great deal of
admiration and respect for what they have achieved so far. And
the diplomatic teams on each side are world-class, so that’s a
professional pleasure for me to engage in this work. But I think
that we are at this stage now also, where we have to know–do the
people want peace? I see the negotiations on the inside, and what
I see is this: that there is a chance to lower very sharply the
risks of a future war; that this is an agreement that will bring
more jobs and economic development to Nagorno-Karabakh; that this is
an agreement that will allow reconstruction and development in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan; and it’s an agreement that will
allow Armenians and Azerbaijanis to make those first steps towards
living as peaceful neighbors in a way that people should live. So we
are at the state where we need the governments and the people on each
side to say that this is the step they would like to take. Anyway,
thank you very much. It’s been great to talk. It’s been great to
have this good quality video at a six thousand mile distance. So,
I hope to see you all in person again here or there.

Regnum news agency: Mr. Mann we are very thankful to you for this
opportunity–we hope such events will continue in the future. You
mentioned the “occupied territories” of Azerbaijan. What did you mean
by that?

Ambassador Mann: That’s the way that they are referred to in the
agreements, and that is a subject which the two sides continue
to define.

Thank you.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress