DAVID BABAYAN: THE OPTIMISM OF THE AZERI PRESIDENT IS PREMATURE

ArmRadio.am
02.12.2006 13:49

The optimism of the Azeri President regarding the process of settlement
of the Karabakh issue can be considered premature, says political
scientist from Nagorno Karabakh David Babayan.

David Babayan told ArmInfo correspondent in Stepanakert that the
subjects involved in the Karabakh process can be divided into several
categories. These are policy implementers, policy makers and those
who form the public opinion.

The main emphasis is put on the people of the first and second
categories, while those forming the public opinion do not enjoy
proper attention.

Particularly the question refers to diverse public and non-governmental
organizations. "We anticipate that policy makers will manage to
form public opinion without immediate work with the society. If
such logic is more or less acceptable for Azerbaijan, considering
its authoritarian system and the fact that only 10 percent of the
country’s population is somehow involved in the Karabakh conflict,
then unlike Azerbaijan the whole population of Nagorno Karabakh has
to do with the conflict. And this fact speaks for itself. Besides, the
settlement of this conflict is simply impossible, unless Stepanakert is
presented at the process," the political scientist noted, underlining
that without immediate work with the public an effective mechanism
of settlement cannot be elaborated.