FRONT LINE MONITORING AND ITS PURPOSE

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 5 2006

Elman Mamadov: “Armenians are not punished for some reason” After
announcement of the cease-fire, May 12 1994, OSCE Monitoring Group
was recruited which right from that date started holding monitoring
on front line. It does it time from time now. Monitoring Group members
acting in Azerbaijan and Armenia including representatives of Defense
Ministries of both countries partake in monitoring process.

It should be mentioned that the above monitoring is not highly
evaluated on the part of society. Moreover, not all state circles
know the purpose of the monitoring. Some observers hold that
monitoring aims at defining the way of observance of cease-fire by
both states. The matter is that security of OSCE monitoring group
members was jeopardized many times during monitoring due to violation
of cease-fire by Armenia. On the other hand, it is well known fact that
due to violation of cease-fire by Armenia, many Azerbaijani soldiers
die or have wounds. However, despite this, Armenia is not punished
and OSCE Minsk Group members, entrusted with the task of mediator in
regulation of Nagorni-Garabagh conflict, do not even mention the fact
in their reports. Moreover, some observers hold that monitoring aims
at learning position for peacemaking forces.

Member of Standing Parliamentary Commission on security and defense
issues, deputy, Elman Mamadov, touched upon this subject during
conversation with journalists. He said that outwardly the given fact
can be evaluated as positive: “The process represents some kind
of control cease-fire. Unfortunately, organization that organizes
monitoring applies no punishment towards the side that systematically
violates cease-fire. We can ask: Why do we need monitoring then? What
is the purpose of activity of Monitoring Group? I think this structure
should have more serious purposes. If it is decided to cease fire,
then the side that violates it should be punished in accordance with
OSCE definition. Otherwise, not only monitoring is doubtful but its
purposes as well. It is the very reason that Azerbaijani society does
not know the purposes of monitoring”.

Accordingly to deputy, there were many cases due to which monitoring
process was undermined: “Sometimes Armenians jeopardized lives of
persons realizing monitoring. That is why we demand to punish the
guilty side at international level. If Armenia does not respect
approved laws and rules, then why should Azerbaijan respect them? I
repeatedly said it at international level”.

At the same time E. Mamadov holds that it is worthwhile to hold
monitoring not on Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia but right
on the frontiers of both states: “Today we do not observe development
of relation on due level and we won’t be witnesses of desirable results
of this activity. Undermining of negotiation process is usual for
Armenia, they always do it. The reason is the use of no punishment
which in turn leads to unwanted actions on the part of Armenia. If
Armenians are not punished they will continue their criminal activity”.

Deputy stated that actually monitoring results should be made
public: “Materials should be summarized and then final decision of
representatives of Defense Ministries of both states should be made.

However, up to now we haven’t faced such cases. I think if Azerbaijan
violated cease-fire, we would be punished immediately. Unfortunately,
no rules do exist for Armenia”.

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