IMITATION OF NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE IN 2007, STEPAN GRIGORIAN IS SURE

Noyan Tapan
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The year 2006 was very interesting
in the respect of peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict:
new tendencies appeared. Stepan Grigorian, Board Chairman of Analytical
Center on Globalization and Regional Development, declared this in
his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent.

In his words, one of them supposes rather bad understanding of
Nagorno Karabakh problem by the international community, including
OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. "This incomprehension was manifested in
the great enthusiasm of Co-chairs who were sure during the whole
previous year that they will be able to provide a breakthrough in
the negotiations process on peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict," S.Grigorian stated.

Another tendency, in the analyst’s words, is emergence of a
new element in the negotiations connected with nations’ right
of self-determination. In his words, "during the whole period of
negotiations on conflict settlement the right of self-determination
was not even discussed. At the same time, he said that placing of this
principle on the negotiations agenda no doubt is a positive element.

In S.Grigorian’s words, the principle of nations’ self-determination
emerged in the process of settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict after
the precedent connected with Montenegro’s receiving independence,
as well as possible getting of independence by Kosovo. "In spite of
the fact that Kosovo’s recognition is delayed, all of us understand
that Kosovo’s independence is not so far.

Strange though this may seem, this moment received a strong echo in
our region," the expert declared.

He expressed confidence that in the year 2007 again an attempt to
imitate some actions will be undertaken by Armenian and Azerbaijani
authorities, but no decisions will be made. "I think the year 2007,
at least under the current leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, will
not be a year of a breakthrough."