CONSENT WITHOUT AGREEMENT

Aravot.am
29 July 06

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan agree with the OSCE Minsk Group
cochairmen’s proposals about the NK conflict settlement.

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov has declared recently
that Azerbaijan agrees with the declassified version of the OSCE Minsk
Group cochairman about NK conflict settlement. They regard it as a
"phase" version, which is profitable for Azerbaijan. Both RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian and Defense Minister Serge Sargsian announced
about their consent to that version.

The latter was insisting that the proposed version was a Â"packageÂ"
one. The current situation is more than surprising, because if
we believe in both sides of the conflict, both of them agree with
the MG cochairmen’s proposals. In that case why isn’t the conflict
settled, why do the cochairmen complain that they don’t have enough
imagination any more to make new proposals? Thus, what does hamper
the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to settle the conflict and
achieve peace? Politician Stepan Grigorian answered to our question:
"It seems to me that both sides aren’t ready to sign any document,
because both sides understand whatever document they sign, good or bad,
it will cause dissatisfaction among societies of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Karabakh. So the authorities don’t want to sign any document. G8
declaration also included itself the problem, and it happened when
the whole world was busy in Israeli-Lebanon problems. It will still
put pressure on both sides. So they carry out a strategic fight:
none of them wants to be put pressure more, that’s why each of them
declares that they are for the proposed version. Now they carry out
so-called fight of nerves. But in global case, no side is ready for
the conflict settlement and sign of an agreement because they will
be struck inside their countries".

Perhaps our societies don’t know but OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen indeed
know which side has refused that version of settlement. Dissatisfied
party was Azerbaijan but it declares now that it agrees with that
settlement waiting what will happen next. Certainly, these strategic
games can’t last long. If both sides agree with the proposed version,
OSCE MG cochairmen will make them come and sit round negotiating
table and will say: sign below the corresponding document. Serious
processes will launch after".

OSCE MG co-chairs stressed in their declaration on July 22 that
they froze their mediatory mission for a while and would wait for
the proposals of the conflicting sides, after which the negotiating
process will restart. Mr. Grigorian is sure "the co-chairs will hold
another meeting during the coming 1-2 months".

RA some political powers affirm that the 1998 year will be repeated /
that is, changeover of political powers/ in case of international
community’s pressures on the NK conflict. But S. Grigorian thinks
there is no sign for special elections. "I don’t think NK conflict
or international community will have connection with the special
elections. There must be a serious tension inside the country, but
it doesn’t exist.Â"

Naira Mamikonian

–Boundary_(ID_FR4EGph3I7YmcbDe7fVujA) —