HOW EFFECTIVE "POLISHED MEETINGS" WILL BE

KarabakhOpen
03-07-2007 11:51:29

The Armenian society was controversial about the visit of the
Azerbaijani delegation to Karabakh.

KarabakhOpen.com asked Shushan Khatlamajyan, coordinator of the
Institute of Civil Society and Regional Development (Yerevan), to
comment on this visit.

"The one-day visit of the Armenian and Azerbaijani scholars
Stepanakert-Baku-Yerevan was "served" by the Kremlin, and nobody
denies this. The ambassadors of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia held
consultations, and the scholars got the support of the presidents of
both countries to prepare for their tour. The most important site in
this itinerary was Stepanakert where the delegations and ambassadors
Armen Smbatyan and Polad Byul-Byul-Oghli met with NKR President
Ghukasyan. What does this mean, and why does it take place now?

Transformation and settlement of conflicts is impossible without
contacts and communication. It is the ABC of conflict management. It
is constantly asserted that it is necessary to set up contacts and
build confidence between the Armenian and Azerbaijani societies but no
result. Baku is known to disagree to compromise. So what has changed?

The issue was initiated by Moscow which wants to be in the avant-garde
of conflicts in the post-Soviet space, but Russia is not always
successful and not everywhere. In particular, with regard to the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Moscow is under pressure
(it is evident from the joining of Matthew Bryza with the Minsk
Group). Besides, Moscow does not have possibility, means and ideas
for sustaining its engagement in this process.

In the meantime, the Kremlin decided to launch a pro-active external
policy and gave corresponding instructions to the foreign ministry
of Russia.

Therefore, I think the so-called initiative of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani ambassadors of the official news releases and media reports
was initiated and thoroughly prepared by Moscow, which did not have
to beg Yerevan and Stepanakert. As to the arrival of Azerbaijanis,
the issue was solved at a higher level, probably between Aliyev and
Putin. They first convinced the latter of the "innocence" of the
tour, and more importantly, its benefit for the improvement of the
non-constructive image of Baku in the talks on Karabakh.

It is possible that similar contacts will be set up proceeding
from the same logic. However, for the time being, it is not clear
how effective these "polished meetings" Moscow pushes the conflict
sides to make will be, and whether Aliyev will have to "okay" every
time. It is highly probable with regard to the secret political aims
of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. All this sounds
highly doubtful. The impression is that the imitation of resolution
is shifted to a new level," Shushan Khatlamajyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress