NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT: "LIBERATED TERRITORIES" IN FOCUS
by Artur Papyan
Global Voices Online, MA
May 31 2007
The Armenian blogosphere is full of speculations about the seven
regions in Azerbaijan currently under the control of Armenian and
Karabakh forces, which are referred to as the "Liberated Territories"
by those with a more nationalistic perspective.
Now that the parliamentary elections are behind us the international
community is once again turning to what is perhaps the number
one problem in the regions – unresolved frozen conflicts and in
particular, Nagorno Karabakh, says Onnik Krikoryan looking at the
latest developments on way of conflict resolution examining RFE /
RL, Today.az and Eurasia Daily Monitor.
No surprise to discover that mediators from the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were in Yerevan earlier
in the week before moving on to Baku. According to RFE/RL’s report
posted on the day of their departure, the OSCE Minsk Group mediators
have said they hope that the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will
meet on the sidelines of a summit to be held in St. Petersburg on 10
June. With presidential elections set to take place in both Armenia
and Azerbaijan next year, there really is very little time and only
a small window of opportunity for a long anticipated breakthrough
framework agreement.
While Oneworld Multimedia is looking for possible solutions to the
conflict, Armenian Breaking News reports that Turkey is inciting
Azerbaijan to war in Karabakh:
"The Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot be settled peacefully. Everyone
should know that lands which were seized with bloodshed cannot be
returned bloodlessly," said lieutenant general Yasak Demikbilek,
former chief of Turkish intelligence agency.
As noted also by Onnik Krikoryan in the post referenced above, the
problem of seven regions in Azerbaijan currently under the control
of Armenian and Karabakh forces, continues to bother politicians and
activists in Armenia. Via Ahousekeeper (ru) I learned that Anaid1708
(am) has posted some video extracts from the presentation of the
book "Liberated Areas of Armenia", where Armen Ayvazyan (political
scientist) and Zori Balayan (publicist, writer) speak about the
importance of keeping these lands in the Armenian hands and putting
this issue in the context of solving the Armenian Question, which is
a diplomatic term, referring to the protection and the freedoms of
Armenians from their neighboring communities.
The new wave of discussions seem to have started at OpenArmenia forum,
after which Kornelij Glas (ru) posted about the petition signed by
a number of internet resources (ru) against the surrender of the
liberated territories, saying that the negotiations currently in
progress are based on "the readiness of Armenia to surrender already
all seven (!) liberated territories around NKR, living only the
Lachin corridor (not the region)." In exchange Karabakh would gain
the right to conduct a referendum on its status after about 5-15
years. Kornelij Glas (ru) says that his opinion – that this will
definitely lead to a new war in which Armenia will be on the losing
side – is only shared by a few people, and of those few, most think,
that Robert Sedrakovich (president of Armenia) is from Karabakh and
would never make concession on the issue.
Ahousekeeper (am) here, here and here as well as the Freedomfight777
(am) and Hayblog (ru) are also joining the petition and urging
everybody to sign the petition "AGAINST THE SURRENDER OF THE LIBERATED
TERRITORY" at Armenia Breaking News is writing
that according to Vahram Atanesyan, chair of the NKR Parliamentary
Committee of External Relations, all the issues discussed during the
talks must become subject of public debates:
I think the people of NKR are to solve the question of status of
NKR and the territories surrounding former NKAR[Nagorno Karabakh],
because only people are empowered.
Looking at all the polemics in the blogosphere Uzogh (ru) is stating
that there is no way to go without Kharabakh conflict resolution and
is asking – what are the options?
I know 2 [positions in circulation currently]: the position of
Jirayr Sefilyan (which can be described in short as: "the hell do
we care about resolution, we are OK as we are now"), which rejects
the concept of resolution per se, and we have vague suppositions,
that can be reduced to the phrase "surrender of 7 regions".
Uzogh’s (ru) post has definitely generated a lot of interest: 103
comments when I last checked it, which by Armenian blogging standards
is pretty big deal.
Pigh (ru) says he won’t sign the petition. This is all pointless noise
the blogger says: "Serge and Robert [Prime Minister and President]
would never surrender Karabakh – 100%".
One thing is sure – if Armenia wants peace and integration in this
region, we have to be prepared to surrender something. But what will
be the true price?
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