VARTAN OSKANIAN: THE ROLE OF THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS IS IRREPLACEABLE

ArmRadio.am
27.06.2007 10:02

Speaking at the summit of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization in Istanbul, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said,
in part:

"Fifteen years ago, when BSEC was founded, it was a visionary effort
at a time when the world stood at a historical crossroads, when almost
all of our member states were themselves living their own historical
turning point, heading a new or a re-organized state. Just as our
organization was young, so were each of our states.

Fifteen years later, each of our countries and BSEC, too,
have changed. I can speak for Armenia: Our economic growth is
gratifying, the collapse of the time of independence is only a
bad memory. Institutions are stronger, as evidenced by our recent
elections, I am proud to say very positively assessed by the
international community. People are more confident. That confidence
comes not just from within, but is buttressed by the assessment
of international indices. From economic freedoms to failed states
to capital hospitality, we are significantly ahead of all our
neighbors. That gives us a solid basis on which to continue to grow.

So, just as our countries can’t, neither can our organization hide
behind the label of inexperience any more. If, in these 15 years, we
could have ascribed our occasional hesitation to certain of our own
quarrels and interests and alliances, today we see that by allowing
ourselves to be led by our differences, we limit this organization’s
capacity to make itself felt in world politics.

Broadening interaction between BSEC and the EU is a measure of our
maturity and one of our significant outputs. As the EU considers the
benefits of a Black Sea Dimension for economic, social, environmental
and energy cooperation, and as BSEC works to enhance its interaction
with the EU, we around the Black Sea, have much to learn from those
around the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Baltic and North Seas. Our need
for deeper relations is not limited to the structural, technical and
institutional expertise in the EU space. Rather we stand to benefit
from the European ability to create a bond between human beings that
transcends older boundaries and makes out of these new institutional
forms something that really is a community.

We also have much to learn from Europe in trying to find new solutions
to old problems. BSEC could have, should have, aided in creating an
environment conducive to resolving conflicts in our region. Resolutions
are only possible through compromise, compromise requires reciprocal
trust between peoples, and cooperation is the obvious and proven
way to inculcate such trust. Rejecting cooperation is a symptom of a
misplaced desire to find one-sided solutions; this is unrealistic. The
era of one-sided solutions is over.

In our case, in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, we have worked hard to
produce a negotiating document that is indeed based on compromise, and
has sufficient positive elements to justify our efforts to move forward
to resolve the remaining difficult differences. We are cognizant of the
irreplaceable role of the negotiating process, as difficult as that is,
to lasting resolutions. In fact, the process itself is a signal to our
populations and other stakeholders that we understand compromise and
the concessions that compromise requires. Therefore, at this stage,
to speak in the language of attack and absolute solutions is neither
realistic nor helpful.

Nor is it useful to mistake cause with consequence. The people
of Nagorno Karabakh were victims who won the military battle,
successfully defending themselves in Karabakh against a government
that attacked people it considered its own citizens. Not all victors
are aggressors. Sometimes the underdog wins because he is defending his
family, his home, his land. The people of Karabakh defended themselves,
against great odds, and won. Today, they want nothing from Azerbaijan,
except a willingness to live and let live.

In the run-up to the anniversary summits to come, the effectiveness of
this organization will be measured not just by the extent and number of
its activities, but by the boldness of our aims, the foresight of our
goals, the value of our achievements, and the audacity of our intent."