DO NOT FORBID US TO TALK, ESPECIALLY THAT THERE IS NO TRUST

Lragir.am
10 July 06

In the framework of the program South Caucasian Integration,
Alternative Start initiated by the Caucasian Center for Peace Building
Efforts held an international seminar July 10 in Yerevan entitled
"European Integration As a Factor Favoring Karabakh Settlement",
involving participants from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia,
Nagorno Karabakh and South Ossetia. The seminar is held by the
Caucasian Center for Peace Building Efforts, the Analytical Center
on Globalization and Regional Cooperation and the Armenian office
of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The main speakers were Alekper Aliyev
and Stepan Grigoryan, an Armenian political scientist.

According to Alekper Aliyev, the Karabakh conflict is a major
hindrance for the establishment of stability and peace in the South
Caucasus. And the conflict is not settled due to the lack of mutual
confidence. "Within 12 years that followed the armistice the parties
have been unable to reach agreement which would bring the prospect
of settlement closer. The internationally mediated negotiations did
not produce any results. The standpoints of Armenia and Azerbaijanis
are unchanged and in contrast, and no efforts are made to prepare
the publics of both countries for an agreement," says Alekper Aliyev.

Another Azerbaijani reporter, Seymour Baijan taking part in the
seminar notices that our publics are like savages who cannot meet
without others’ help and discuss the problems that worry them.

"There is no trust, and we have to tolerate the presence of others
at the table of talks which did not prove effective."

Alekper Aliyev offers ways out as well. It is necessary to stop
dissemination of hatred and open up the potential of mutual trust.

"There are supporters of dialogue in both countries. However, the
Azerbaijanis, who lost the war and are in distress, and the Armenians,
who won the war and are in euphoria, consider supporters of dialogue
to be foes." In order to foster mutual trust, the government of
Nagorno Karabakh should not support resettlement of Armenians in the
areas where the Azerbaijani population used to be dominant. Besides,
it is necessary to bolster up tolerance and promote democracy in
both countries. Both countries are willing to become members of the
European Union. European integration cannot resolve the problem,
it may open up new opportunities and prospects of resolution.

"If we are not going to wage a war, let us talk. Let us talk to people,
who have authority and no obligations in front of Moscow, Paris or
Washington." "What missiles will be used to prove to Armenians and
Azerbaijanis the historically inevitable neighborhood?" asks Alekper
Aliyev.

Stepan Grigoryan, political scientist, on the whole agrees with Alekper
Aliyev. He simply said that the importance of the South Caucasus has
grown over the past few years, the international approach has changed,
however our leaderships fail to understand this, "If they understood,
Iran-Armenia would have become a transit gas pipeline long ago." "If
the leadership is not ready, the civil society should push them
towards a resolution. In Armenia the foes of democracy are against
European integration, and the foes of the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict are against democracy," said Stepan Grigoryan.