"BOTH SIDES HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY"

Mediamax news agency
June 2007

(The exclusive interview of Miguel Angel Moratinos, Foreign Minister
of Spain, OSCE Chairman-in-Office to Armenian Mediamax news agency,
June 2007)

– What are your impressions of your recent meeting with the Co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, held in Madrid? How viable is the proposal
on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is on the
negotiation table at present?

– On May 4 I had a meeting with the three Co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group.

This meeting followed another, held in Madrid on 10 December 2006. The
most recent meeting, at which the three Co-chairs provided me with
a full briefing of their work, was highly fruitful. As the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, I congratulate Ambassadors Fassier and Merzliakov
and Deputy Assistant Secretary Bryza on their excellent work, and
express my gratitude to the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan for
their good offices in working with them towards resolving the conflict.

– One of the basic principles of the settlement is connected to holding
a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh. Do you believe that Azerbaijan is
really ready to accept the idea of a referendum?

– It is no easy matter to balance the principles of sovereignty
and territorial integrity with that of self-determination. Both are
universal principles that are applicable in different circumstances. I
am convinced that Azerbaijan and Armenia are capable of using excellent
judgement in applying the most appropriate principles to resolve a
situation that is prejudicial to many thousands of people, who have
the right to decent, peaceful and prosperous lives.

– Judging from the latest statements of the sides, Armenia and
Azerbaijan are "close to the settlement of the conflict as never
before". Do you share such optimism?

– I do know that both countries put the highest priority on
overcoming the problems affecting the region, and for this reason I am
optimistic. Both sides have to take advantage of this opportunity. It
is high time they took the step.

– The authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, which represent the interests
of 140 000 Armenians living in the region, regularly stated the need
of their direct participation in the talks. Azerbaijan is categorically
against that.

Don’t you think that without elimination of that obvious contradiction,
the peace process will not give real results?

– To answer this question, let me start with the final point: if
Armenia, Azerbaijan and the OSCE undertake to achieve concrete results
and work resolutely to that end, then all the problems may be overcome.

– All the interested international organizations urge the sides
to demonstrate political will, necessary to overcome the remaining
discords.

What is the reason for the sides to lack that will so far?

– In a conflict that has lasted so many years, and that affects such a
large number of people, genuine political will is needed to heal the
wounds of the past and to look towards the future with optimism. The
political maturity now enjoyed by both countries and the clear-sighted
vision of their political leaders constitute a solid guarantee that
the political will to resolve the conflict shall prevail.

– One of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs – Russia, strongly believes
that the possible independence of Kosovo will unambiguously become
a precedent for other "frozen conflicts". The other two Co-chairs –
France and the USA, oppose that and turn down the possibility of a
precedent. What is your stance as to that issue?

– The conflicts currently existing within the OSCE vary greatly in
their nature. Neither France nor Russia nor the USA, represented
by the Co-chairs, consider it advisable to apply pre-established
formulas, given that the reality of widely varying situations would
make them inoperative.

– The international organizations, including the OSCE, urge the states
of the region to develop regional cooperation, stressing that the fact
will assist the settlement of the conflicts. Azerbaijan looks at the
issue of cooperation from another stance. What is, according to you,
the exit from this deadlock?

– Regional cooperation is obviously a fundamental condition to
promote security and stability. I am convinced that both Armenia and
Azerbaijan are well aware that they have to seize, as soon as possible,
the current window of opportunity to advance in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and to develop the great cooperation possibilities that have
arisen in the Caucasus in the socio-economic sphere.

– What is your assessment of the situation with democratic reforms
in Armenia in the light of the recent parliamentary elections, which
received positive assessments from the OSCE, EU and Council of Europe?

– As OSCE Chairman-in-Office, but also as a member of the Spanish
Government, I congratulate Armenia on the democratic advance made
in the recent parliamentary elections, which were viewed positively
by the OSCE Electoral Observation Mission. Strengthening democracy,
which is a fundamental value for the OSCE, contributes to the security
and cooperation of all the Participant Countries.