TREND, Azerbaijan
May 26 2006

Prague format creates a good basis for further movement forward –
special envoy of OSCE chairman-in-office

Source: Trend
Author: R.Abdullyev

26.05.2006

Trend’s interview with special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office
on Nagorno-Karabakh, Andrzej Kasprzyk

Question: How do you characterize the state in the
Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline?

Answer: The cease fire at front lines generally holds. However
tension sometimes increases – for a variety of reasons. We regret
that there are occasionally casualties as a result of such tension.
In our view even one serviceman killed is one too many. One has to
remember that there is a political will on all sides to preserve the
cease fire, which is also a condition for conducting the negotiations
on the settlement of the conflict which are now in a delicate stage.
.

In such conditions it is unacceptable when a young serviceman is
wounded or killed, especially deliberately by a sniper.

Question: How often was the ceasefire regime broken in 2006? What
measures should the sides take prevent the armistice breaches?

Answer: We cannot quote exact figures on cease-fire violations – we
rely on figures provided by the Ministries of Defence. Generally,
only when there is a casualty (or deliberate aiming), or if the
shooting is protracted and lasts for at least 20 minutes it is
considered as a cease fire violation.

We expect the sides to display maximum restraint on the front lines.
If there is a more serious violation, we also expect the sides to
make use of the hotline between them at senior level. A lot depends
also on the will of the local commanders to maintain the cease fire
and how they keep the discipline among their troops.

Question: Are there any preconditions for the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in 2006?

Answer: The negotiations are continuing apace and have become quite
intensive in the last period, with many meetings, including at the
level of the Presidents. The Co-chairs have been very active which
has been applauded by the Presidents.

In the year 2006 there is a good window of opportunity for the
resolution of the conflict, taking into consideration that there are
no elections this year neither in Armenia nor Azerbaijan.

Question: How do you estimate the talks on resolution of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Answer: There is an effort from all sides to bring the positions of
the parties closer. The issues are extremely complicated and
painful; nevertheless it seems that what has been accomplished so far
during the rounds of the Prague format and at other meetings creates
a good basis for further movement forward. It is a question also of
the political decisions that have to be taken by the Presidents on
the basis of their nations’ best interest. One has to remember that
for both nations there will be substantial benefits from peace which
cannot be ignored.

Question: Is it worth to hold monitoring in the frontline if they
cause doubts?

Answer: It has been stated on different occasions and at different
levels by the parties that Monitorings have a stabilizing effect on
the situation in case of a flare-up of tensions.

On occasions we have been requested by one or the other party to
conduct a Monitoring at a specific location precisely to stabilize
the situation. If anybody’s life was saved thanks to it I would
already consider it an achievement.

Monitorings also serve as an early warning to all – to the parties,
the Minsk Group and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in case there is a
threat of deterioration of the situation along the front lines. It
is also an important tool as a confidence building measure in the
military sphere between the parties – once my teams are permitted to
enter a specific territory it means there is nothing hidden.

The information received from the parties during the Monitoring is
passed on with our comments as to the seriousness of the incident to
the OSCE Chairmanship and the Minsk Group. Our mandate does not
foresee investigations which would also require cooperation between
the parties in facilitating evidence to the investigating teams.