AZERBAIJANI JOURNALIST CALLS FOR USING POTENTIAL ON CREATION OF ATMOSPHERE OF CONFIDENCE
YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Distrust existing between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani peoples is the biggest problem in the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Alekper Aliyev, free journalist,
writer-publicist from Azerbaijan, declared at the international
conference titled "European Integration as a Factor Contributing
to the Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict" held on July 10
in Yerevan.
According to him, mutual demonization, growing military expenditures
and cases of violation of the cease-fire agreement becoming more
frequent are evidence that time "assigned" for the peaceful settlement
is expiring. Aliyev mentioned that it is necessary to "impose a ban"
on the mutual propaganda of hatred and to use the potential on creating
an atmosphere of confidence between the peoples. In the Azerbaijani
journalist’s opinion, the parallel process will play a great role
in this respect: namely, there are supporters of a dialogue in the
civil societies of the conflict sides. Especially as the NGO sector
representatives do not bear the burden of being accountable to Moscow,
Washington or Paris.
Alekper Aliyev emphasized the necessity to implement programs aimed
at improving mutual understanding and tolerance, especially among
the representatives of the civil society and journalists. Measures
on extension and deepening of democratic processes in both countries
could play a great role in achieving a compromise.
"The situation will improve when the compromise loses the negative
meaning it has for both countries at the moment and in this case the
sides will consider the Nagorno Karabakh settlement as an integral
part of these countries’ integration to the European Union," the
Azerbaijani journalist declared.
As for the frame agreement proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs,
he declared that Azerbaijan agrees to the referendum in Nagorno
Karabakh after 10 years and only after the return of the refugees.