SABINA FRAZER: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL NOT RECOGNIZE NAGORNO GARABAGH REFERENDUM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 28 2006

International Crisis Group does not intend to publish new reports,
because no improvement has been made concerning the situation, Project
director of the International Crisis Group on the Caucasian region
Sabina Frazer told the APA Georgian bureau exclusively.

She said that the group will prepare a report concerning the situation
on the region in 2007. Estimating Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents’
meeting to be held within CIS head of states’ summit in Minsk Sabina
Frazer said she does not believe important decision will be taken on
the settlement of the conflict.

"Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian are not resolute in compromising.

They have not prepared the society for the possible compromises. If
the problem improves as far as the agreement of principles, the
presidents will have to explain the essence of agreement elements
and the necessity of compromise to the public," she said.

Sabina Frazer said the statements of both presidents on the conflict
do not harm the talks.

"Both parties have different interpretation on the history of Nagorno
Karabakh, but I do not think the different views are important.

International community recognizes Nagorno Karabakh as part of
Azerbaijan, but the talks include the refugees’ conditions, economic
cooperation and other details," she said.

Touching upon the referendum to be held in the occupied Azerbaijani
territories on December 10, Sabina Frazer said that analogous steps
are very popular in the Post Soviet countries.

"These may be the results of referendum in Chernogoriya. But there is
no resemblance between the situation in Chernogoriya and conflicts
in the Post Soviet countries. Because Serbia said in advance that
it will not recognize the referendum results. So it is clear that
international community will not recognize the results of Nagorno
Karabakh referendum," Sabina Frazer said.