INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP URGES AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO STOP ARMAMENT RACE

arminfo
2007-11-14 14:41:00

ArmInfo. The International Crisis Group urges Azerbaijan and Armenia
to stop the armament race.

"Azerbaijan and Armenia should stop the dangerous armament race
and suppress their militaristic statements", the regular ICG report
on Nagorno Karabakh says, the Radio Liberty reports. Instead, the
ICG offers to reanimate the efforts for the conflict settlement via
negotiations. "The oil dollars enable Azerbaijan to strengthen the
army. Armenia develops via economic growth that enables to increase
the expenditures for defense, and no one thinks that it is the time
to meet half-way", the report says.

"The world community should seriously think over the threat of war",
Head of the Caucasian Department of ICG Magdalena Fricheva said. She
added that the "risk of the armed conflict is increasing". According
to the report, there is a lack of political will to achieve progress
in a diplomatic way. "Over the last several years, the both states’
presidents indisposed their countries’ public against compromises
and increased the military expenses.

These approaches should be changed", the ICG emphasizes. The
report authors also touch upon the forthcoming elections in both
countries. "The elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2008 will
complicate the opportunity of taking a political decision, so the
parties should resolve the remaining uncoordinated issues and agree the
basic principles before elections", the report says. The ICG thinks
that OSCE MG co-chairs and the world community should coordinate
all the efforts to influence both parties to achieve progress. "For
establishment of peace, the world community has to put great pressure
for the parties to meet half-way faster", Director of the European
programmes of ICG Sabina Fraser said.