DEPLOYMENT OF PEACEKEEPERS IN KARABAKH POSSIBLE UNDER NATO AND UN FLAGS
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.04.2006 19:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The conflicts available in the South Caucasus are in
NATO’s limelight and the Alliance is concerned over the problems that
impede cooperation between the states of the region,” NATO Secretary
General’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central
Asia Robert Simmons stated in Azerbaijan. He reiterated NATO’s position
on the Nagorno Karabakh problem and said Alliance’s position coincides
with the OSCE’s on the issue. “To deploy troops on the territory of
a state is possible only with the consent of the given state. As for
the Russian military contingent in Armenia, the troops are there by
approbation of the Armenian party and NATO doesn’t interfere in the
matter,” he said. When touching upon the possibility of deployment
of NATO peacekeeping forces in the region Simmons remarked it can
become possible after long-term discussions. “This is possible if
the conflicting parties reach agreement. Deployment of peacekeepers
is possible not only under the OSCE flag, but also under the flags
of NATO or the UN,” he said.
NATO representative did not rule out the possibility of participation
of the Alliance in a number of energy projects in the region including
the guard of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. In his words,
NATO troops will not personally guard the pipeline but NATO can
render technical assistance and hold trainings with the appropriate
organization of the states through which the pipeline stretches. Robert
also noted that although the Alliance is worried by Iran’s nuclear
dossier, it will make an attack against Iran.