VARTAN OSKANIAN: LEVEL OF COMPROMISE DEPENDS ON REALITY: EVERYBODY SHOULD REALIZE WHAT DECISIONS CAN BE TAKEN AND WHAT DECISIONS CANNOT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 7, 2007

BAKU, DECEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Azerbaijani agency "APA" has
published an exclusive interview with the Armenian foreign minister
Vartan Oskanian.

Below is the full text of the interview.

"- What compromises does Armenia expect from Azerbaijan and what
compromises is it ready to make itself?

– We (the sides) should make a compromise consciously. We all
understand that if we take extrimist positions, nothing will be
achieved. It is necessary to understand that a document that everybody
will agree with should be prepared. The level of a compromise depends
on reality – everybody should realize what decisions may be taken and
what decisions may not. We should have courage and political will to
achieve peace in our region.

– Presidential elections are approcahing in our countries. Does it
mean that there will be a time-out in negotiations on Karabakh?

_ As you see we are continuing to work on the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement.

Yes, there will be elections but we do not connect these elections
with the negotiation process. The co-chairs will again visit the
region soon – in late December or in January, and negotiations will
be conducted again. Of course, during elections all attention will
focus on the voting process, and we will not be able to devote as
much time to the settlement as previously.

Nevertheless, negotiations will go on.

– May a change of the country’s government influence Armenia’s position
in the negotiation process?

– I hope it will not happen. That is why the co-chairs want everybody
in Armenia and the world to know what basic principles are included
in this document so that the country will take the same position and
act based on it, regardless of who will be elected in Armenia at the
elections. We must continue to work on the basis of this document. It
was scrupulously prepared, it is a balanced and a very compromise
document. We must be sure that the position will not change regardless
of the fact who will win the elections in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

– Serge Sargsian said in an interview that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict has a religious character. Do you agree?

– No, the religious factor has nothing to do with it. It is not
a conflict of Muslims and Christians. These issues should not be
confused.

– May Kosovo set a precedent for solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem?

– We have always said that these are absolutely different conflicts. Of
cource, precedents are important but we will not specifically link
any conflict to Nagorno Karabakh. Karabakh is a different thing,
it made a decision on its own about its future in the issue of
self-determination. It does not matter what will happen in Kosovo. On
the other hand, if Kosovo receives independence, nobody must tell us
that it is permissible for them and impermissible for us.

– During the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani population
was subjected to ethnic cleansing. Do you think that after all this,
our peoples can live in peace?

– Your question is one-sided. Etnic cleansing was started not by
us, it was started in Azerbaijan. While peaceful actions were being
held in Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, Azerbaijanis started ethnic
cleansing of the Armenian population in Sumgait. Nevertheless, we
must settle this conflict because if we do not settle it, this will
be done by the future generations. An abyss is growing between our
peoples with every passing year because of the propaganda of hatred
being conducted in Azerbaijan.

– Do you want to say that there is no propaganda of hatred in Armenia?

– Certainly not. We understand that our peoples must live together,
and the region needs peace. So we are concerned about such propaganda
in Azerbaijan.

We should be constructive because we will have to live together sooner
or later.

– If there is no propaganda of hatred in Armenia, it means that it
is ready to accept Azerbaijani refugees?

– I wouldn’t like to comment on your question specifically. It is
only a detail. There are a lot of issues to be solved. It is early
to pass to other issues without solving the issue od status.

– Is the issue of status being discussed?

_ Of course, it is. This is a major issue. If the issue of status is
not being discussed, then what is being discussed? And the referendum,
and the issue of self-determination are also being discussed at
negotiations.