RECOGNITION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH IS AN IMPERATIVE: INTERVIEW OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MASIS MAYILIAN
Regnum, Russia
March 15 2007
REGNUM: Mr. Mayilian, what are the most urgent issues in the Nagorno
Karabakh foreign policy today?
The most topical issue of the Karabakh diplomacy is legal recognition
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. It is an imperative, if you like.
All other tasks and actions, stemming from them, are aimed at achieving
recognition of NKR by the international community. However, it is
necessary to understand that the lack of recognition in itself does
not diminish our independence and self-sufficiency. As you know, in
international law recognition by other states has a declarative, not
a constitutive value. Besides, recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic will be an important step on the way to engagement into
the world community and will help to involve the republic into the
regional integration processes. Of course, on the way to recognition
we are facing difficulties, overcoming of which defines the range of
our current tasks.
Our diplomacy has the same classical goals as majority of countries
of the world have: ensuring the people’s security from any possible
foreign threats via political and diplomatic means. In our case a
serious challenge is the unresolved Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict. The
NKR, as a party to the conflict, is interested in building up a
dialogue with Azerbaijan with the aim of establishing good neighborly
relations. However, Azerbaijan does not show such an interest, which
testifies its unreadiness for resumption of a serious and constructive
dialogue with Nagorno Karabakh. Continuation of consultations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan is important, because it contributes to reducing
tension in the region; however, everybody realizes that for achieving
considerable results the given format should be transformed into a
trilateral one, the sooner – the better.
In the existing situation it is important for us to maintain the
strategic balance in the region, ensuring peace and stability in
South Caucasus.
We have also some other goals – to create a positive image for NKR
abroad and to increase the investment attraction of the republic.
REGNUM: What is the main reason that Nagorno Karabakh found itself
outside the peace process under the aegis of OSCE MG and what should
be done for the resumption of full-format negotiations? Is Nagorno
Karabakh ready to defend its positions at tete-a-tete negotiations
with Azerbaijan?
First, I would like to note that the negotiation process is currently
suspended, and the parties hold consultations on searching ways
of resuming the negotiations under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk
Group. As for the negotiations within the frameworks of the Minsk
process, NKR representatives always participated in them until their
suspension in April 1997.
Today Nagorno Karabakh does not participate in consultations,
now held between the officials of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it
is connected with Azerbaijan’s unreadiness to contact with official
Stepanakert. For us resumption of trilateral negotiations is not an end
in itself. Establishment of a dialogue requires interest and political
will of all the parties involved in the conflict. The parties should
realize it themselves.
As for the readiness of the Karabakh authorities to defend their
positions at the negotiations with Azerbaijan, they are not only
ready, but even more, they have repeatedly put forward initiatives to
establish a dialogue and to start discussing the whole set of issues
without any preconditions.
REGNUM: What could you say about the role of Russia in the process
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement?
Russia is already in the annals of the modern history of Artsakh as
a state that played a key role in stopping the bloody war between NKR
and Azerbaijan in May 1994. Besides, historically Russia occupies its
special niche as a traditionallly friendly state in perception of the
Karabakh people. Currently, Russia together with the USA and France
plays an important role as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, trying
to reconcile the approaches of the conflicting parties. In addition,
I consider Russia not only as a mediator in the settlement of our
protracted conflict. There is a great potential to be developed in
relations with the Russian Federation in the political, economic,
religious, cultural, and educational fields.
REGNUM: Is the joint Azerbaijan-Karabakh production of "Aghdam" wine
real in perspective, which was mentioned by the President of Russia
President Vladimir Putin?
I don’t think that Vladimir Putin’s remark should be taken literally.
I consider this statement as a call to start regional cooperation,
which will contribute to settling disputes between two peoples. In
this context the approach of the Russian leader should be appreciated.
REGNUM: Mr. Mayilian, how do you evaluate cooperation of NKR with
the other unrecognized states in the post-Soviet space?
I believe that cooperation with unrecognized states adequately
reflects our common tasks. We maintain close bilateral relations with
the Republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Moldovan Republic
of Transdnestr. For the recent several years NKR representatives
have visited these countries quite a lot on different levels, and we
have hosted appropriate delegations here. We have established close
cooperation on some political issues posing mutual interest.
As for the multilateral cooperation within the frameworks of the
Commonwealth for Democracy and Rights of Nations, we participate in
the work of this structure as observers and this level of cooperation
meets our national interests at present, which, by the way, is accepted
by our partners.