NKR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Davit Babayan
Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
13-06-2007
The society is calm, despite the efforts of some forces to cause
stirs. In order not to make similar efforts, we would like to speak
about the importance of this election to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. The peculiarity of the Karabakh conflict is that
the conflict sides have quite different but balanced geopolitical
components. Azerbaijan has a more attractive geographical position
(it is situated between Iran and Russia, and is a bridge with
Central Asia), it has oil and gas. Nagorno-Karabakh has a more
favorable ideological state, which is reflected in a higher level of
democracy and civil society. It offsets the geographical advantages of
Azerbaijan. The challenges and threats the international community is
currently Two weeks are left until the election campaign. facing are
evidence that democracy is the only mechanism to sustain stability. In
addition, the geographical and strategic factors cannot replace
the humanitarian one. Moreover, totalitarianism and perversion of
democracy in countries of strategic importance is believed to pose
worse threat to stability. The process of building democracy in
Nagorno-Karabakh is virtually different from that in Azerbaijan. The
elections, as well as the pre-election periods in Nagorno-Karabakh
have always been free and transparent, without major violations,
the international observers reported.
Though it sounds controversial, the conflict with Azerbaijan spurred
the democratic development in Karabakh. We need qualitative advantages
to offset the enemy’s quantitative advantages (territory, population,
GDP). The abovementioned free, solid and united society is one of
these benchmarks.
Meanwhile, freedom and unity is impossible outside a democracy and
civil society. Naturally, the existence of an unrecognized subject
which is on the track for democracy in such strategic region as
the Caucasus is favorable for the democratic community. It is
highly important to deal with a state which despite its favorable
geographical position does not fit into the ideology involving
all the centers of force. Meanwhile, the state of human rights
in Azerbaijan becomes worse year by year, and the development of
totalitarianism behind demonstrative democratic slogans is obvious. The
fact that the commitment of Azerbaijan to development of democracy
is demonstrative and false is confirmed in practice and observed
by international observers. It is reflected in the elections. The
international observers observed violations in all the elections,
including the presidential, parliamentary and local elections. The
recent Azerbaijani parliamentary election is new evidence. Despite
the statements and recommendations of the international community,
the Azerbaijani government continues to violate the basic rights
and freedoms. It is notable that there are a number of ethnic
minorities in Azerbaijan, which have not got assimilated and become
Azerbaijanis. Apart from all, democracy involves respecting the rights
of ethnic minorities. In a real democracy, such people as the Talish
and the Lezgi may demand sovereignty. And the Baku authorities cannot
accept it. Hence, democracy in Azerbaijan is a threat to statehood in
Azerbaijan. It means they will make efforts to prevent the evelopment
of democracy. In this context, our reporters and media must display
wisdom and patriotism especially in the pre-election period. We must
be alert, for there are forces which are interested in damaging the
reputation of Karabakh as a democratic country rather than the victory
of the candidate they support. An election is the best time for it. The
abovementioned forces will be announcing mass wrongdoing and fraud. But
these technologies have been used long ago… It is clear that this
situation is not favorable for neither our people nor the state. Let
us not forget about this and make constructive efforts, especially that
Karabakh, and subsequently all of us will suffer from the consequences.