Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 9 2008

Finding Solution to Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict is Vital to Security,
Stability and Economic Growth of Region: says NATO Parliamentary
President (interview)
09.02.08 12:00

Azerbaijan, Baku 8 February / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / Trend’s
Interview with NATO Parliamentary President, Jose Lello.

Question: What is your estimation of the results of the presidential
elections in Georgia? To what extent could these elections and
Mikhael Saakashvili’s victory in the presidential elections promote
the regulation of the public and political situation in Georgia?

Answer: International observers generally agreed that the conduct of
the 2008 extraordinary presidential election in Georgia was in
essence consistent with universal principles for genuine democratic
elections, whose results are a viable expression of the free will of
the Georgian people. This is another important step forward for
Georgia’s developing democracy. However, it is important that the
country’s leadership fulfils its stated intention to look seriously
into all flaws and irregularities documented by international
observers and addresses all the problems before the parliamentary
elections take place.

Under President Saakashvili, Georgia has made enormous progress in
economic and political reforms. In fact, in a very short space of
time Georgia has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing
economies. Even so, much remains to be done, and it is important that
Georgia builds up a consistent record of free and fair election
elections. Of course, Georgia faces some extremely complex internal
political problems. The NATO Parliamentary Assembly has repeatedly
expressed its concern over the lack of progress in resolving the
frozen conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but we
welcome Tbilisi’s stated intention to resolve these conflicts through
peaceful negotiation. We will continue to urge the member governments
and parliaments of the Alliance to assist the parties in finding
mutually acceptable solutions.

Question: Energy security is an important part of dialogue between
Europe and the Caspian Sea region. To what extent could cooperation
in this sphere be successful and what are your views on future
interaction in the oil and gas sector between Europe and the Caspian
Sea Region, in particular, Azerbaijan?

Answer: The Caspian Sea region is undoubtedly assuming an
increasingly important geopolitical role, and this is, to a
considerable extent, due to mounting concerns about energy security
and diversity of resource supplies. Energy security has indeed become
an inseparable part of the dialogue between Europe and the countries
of the Caspian Sea region. Over the last decade European and US
interests in the region have grown substantially; and, considering
the direct link between energy supply and the security of the
Alliance member states, it is only natural that energy security has
also become a matter of concern for NATO.

As the European Union seeks to promote the diversification of energy
supplies, which is crucial for its energy needs, its interaction with
the countries of the Caspian Sea region, particularly with
Azerbaijan, is bound to grow. Memorandums of Understanding on Energy
Security recently signed by Azerbaijan with the European Union and
the United States are significant steps in that direction. They also
underscore Azerbaijan’s important role in the sphere of energy. The
opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the South Caucasus
gas pipeline has already allowed the transportation of large volumes
of the region’s natural resources to Europe. However, the future of
the energy sector co-operation will depend on stability and security
in the South Caucasus-Central Asia region that can only be achieved
by solving regional conflicts and by strengthening the rule of law
and implementation of political and economic reforms in the countries
of the region.

Question: Tehran calls on the international community, in particular,
the IAEA, to close the nuclear file on Iran, because it was confirmed
that the Iranian nuclear program is of a peaceful nature. Are there
any unsettled issues with Iran and is there a need to adopt a third
resolution by the UN Security Council?

Answer: I assume you are referring to the United States National
Intelligence Estimate document which said that Iran had halted its
nuclear weapons programme as a result of international pressure. The
document also said that Iran is keeping open the option to develop
nuclear weapons. Other intelligence service estimates have come to
different conclusions, and there are still unresolved questions about
Iran’s nuclear activities and intentions. There is agreement across
the transatlantic alliance, however, that nuclear proliferation in
the region is extremely dangerous and that international pressure
should be maintained on Iran to ensure that it does not violate its
obligations as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Question: The resolution of the Kosovo problem remains in focus of
the world community. Taking into consideration that international
mediators state the inefficiency of their efforts, what further
actions should be taken? What is the solution to the situation?

Answer: The NATO PA recognises that the Kosovo problem remains the
most pressing security issue in the region and that the final outcome
of the status talks on Kosovo will have an impact on the security of
the Balkans. There is a consensus among our members that this outcome
should be a compromise solution acceptable to all sides, although we
realise the difficulties that international mediators face in their
efforts to reach an agreement between the parties. The NATO PA
nevertheless strongly supports the international format of
negotiations. In this context, a new UN Security Council resolution
might be the best way of specifying the final arrangement, although
we know that Russia has stated it would veto any resolution if the
agreement were not reached between Pristina and Belgrade. It has to
be added that some members of our Assembly underscore the importance
of finding a solution as they view the present status quo as
untenable and insist that further delays might have negative impact
on security situation in the region.

The Alliance has played an active role in stabilising the Balkans and
it is clear that a lot more has to be done to fully integrate the
countries of the region into the Euro-Atlantic community. Therefore,
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, along with NATO and other
international institutions, will continue assisting Kosovo even after
its status has been determined.

Question: What are your views on a solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan? Is the NATO prepared to
assist in the rapid resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
taking into consideration that talks within the OSCE are still
failing?

Answer: Finding a solution to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, as
well as other territorial conflicts in the South Caucasus, is vital
to the security, stability and economic growth of the region. The
Alliance has repeatedly expressed its support for the independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries in the South
Caucasus. But it has to be stressed that the mandate to resolve the
regional conflicts rests with other international organisations, such
as the OSCE and the UN. NATO advocates a peaceful solution for the
unresolved conflicts but does not seek to assume a direct role in
finding them.

The NATO PA, for its part, has kept the issue of the unresolved
conflicts in the South Caucasus, and in particular the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, on its agenda and is determined to
continue acting as a forum for all relevant parties to exchange
views. We will also work to facilitate confidence- and
consensus-building measures. We are concerned with the rise of
military budgets in the region and strongly plead against a military
solution to the conflict that could only lead to further instability.

Question: What are NATO’s priorities with respect to the South
Caucasus, in particular, Azerbaijan in 2008? To what extent is NATO
interested in the further expansion of relations with this region?

Answer: NATO and the NATO PA will continue maintaining high-level
working contacts with the leaders of the South Caucasian states in
support of our objectives in the region, namely promoting democratic
transition and regional security and enhancing NATO co-operation
programmes there. NATO’s relations with Azerbaijan will continue in
the framework of the latter’s implementation of IPAP, security and
defence sector reforms, as well as its participation in NATO-led
operations. NATO PA will be soon holding a Rose-Roth seminar in Baku
in cooperation with the parliament of Azerbaijan that would address
issues pertinent to the Alliance’s interests and concerns with
particular reference to the Caucasus-Central Asia region.