Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 18 2008

Azeri political scientists: Kosovo can not be precedent for Nagorno
Karabakh

[ 18 Feb 2008 16:35 ]

Baku. Elnur Mammadli-APA. `Kosovo’s declaration of independence shows
that the country determining the future of the world is America, not
Russia.

The US ensured Kosovo’s independence without Russia’s will and Europe
recognized it,’ political scientist Vafa Guluzadeh told APA. As
regards the suppositions that Kosovo’s declaration of independence
will be a precedent for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
the political scientist does not consider it possible.
`Since 1999, Kosovo has been under U.N. administration. Kosovo
belonged to Serbia formally, it was de-facto independent. Serbia’s
independence was recognized after Yugoslavia collapsed. As regards
Nagorno Karabakh, the entire world knows it as Azerbaijan’s
territory. There is no similarity between Karabakh and Kosovo.
Azerbaijan is the ally of the US and the problem will soon be solved
in favor of Azerbaijan,’ he said.
Another political scientist Rasim Musabayov also said there was no
similarity between Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts.
`The state of Kosovo is not similar to that of Karabakh. Kosovo was
subject of federation when Yugoslavia was federation. Kosovo was
formally an autonomous province, in fact, Kosovo and Serbia had equal
rights in Yugoslavia. On the other hand, Kosovo Albans are
two-million people and they underwent ethnic cleansing by Milosevic.
In Karabakh it is vice versa, Azerbaijanis underwent ethnic cleansing
here. Besides, Europe is ready to see Kosovo as an independent state,
while no one will see the so-called regime of Armenians as an
independent state. There is no need to identify these conflicts,’ he
said. Ilgar Mammadov, chairman of the National Committee on the
European Integration stressed that the issue on the peacekeeping
forces should be reconsidered, because Armenians may use this
experiment.
`Peacekeeping forces in Kosovo, which Azerbaijan also represents,
recognized the territorial integrity of Serbia, but they are the main
forces that prevent Serbia to restore the territorial integrity.
Azerbaijan agreed to deploy peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh.
This causes anxiety in terms of Kosovo developments. If there is
peaceful agreement according to recent principles, Armenians can hold
referendum in Nagorno Karabakh 15 years later. Peacekeepers which
will be deployed in Nagorno Karabakh will ensure the independence of
so-called regime. We should prevent this now,’ he said.
Elkhan Mehdiyev, director of Peace and Conflict Resolution Center
stated that there is no similarity between Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and Kosovo.
`Kosovo is a unique problem. Europe, Russia, US did not said that
Kosovo can be precedent for Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South
Ossetia conflicts. Milosevic has been carried out ethnic cleansing
against Kosovo population and NATO, Europe and US returned them to
their lands. The situation in Nagorno Karabakh is different.
Armenians carried out ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis here. It
has never stated that, Serbia and Kosovo should carry out talks and
achieve an agreement. Such talks are carried out on Nagorno Karabakh
conflict,’ he said.