Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 20 2008
Election of Serzh Sarkisian will not influence Nagorno Karabakh
negotiations – political scientists
[ 20 Feb 2008 18:27 ]
Views of Azerbaijani political scientists and head of Nagorno
Karabakh’s Azerbaijani community on Serzh Sarkisian’s election as
Armenian president
Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. According to the initial results, Serzh
Sarkisian has won the presidential elections in Armenia. APA learned
the opinions of political scientists and head of Nagorno Karabakh’s
Azerbaijani community in connection with the influence of the
election of the new president in Armenia on Nagorno Karabakh
negotiations. According to political scientist Rasim Musabayov, if
Serzh Sarkisian has won, it means that the team will be the same,
policy will not change.
`The previous course – Russia’s forepost will continue. Sarkisian is
inside the Nagorno Karabakh talks, he is well-informed about it, so
there will be no pause. There is very little probability that the
negotiations will produce results,’ he said.
Ilgar Mammadov recommends awaiting the end of the process, the
statement of OSCE observation mission. He told APA that it is
difficult to say something basing on the initial results. Comparing
Serzh Sarkisian and the other candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the
political scientist said the main difference between them is that
Ter-Petrosyan declared he would make changes in the strategy of
negotiations, but Sarkisian did not do it.
`But it does not mean if Sarkisian wins, he will not decide to change
the strategy of negotiations depending on the situation. He can
change the strategy of negotiations. Sarkisian may make fundamental,
big and small changes to Kocharian’s strategy,’ he said.
`I have said Serzh Sarkisian will win. Russia organizes the election
in Armenia, since it is a part of Russia, and the results of these
elections do not reflect the will of Armenian people,’ political
scientist Vafa Guluzade told APA. According to him, Armenian people
want the peace issue to be solved soon.
`So, if the people were allowed, they would elect Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. But As Moscow does not want Karabakh conflict to be
solved, it elected its marionette – Serzh Sarkisian,’ he said.
Vafa Guluzade underlined that Sarkisian had no authority in Armenia
and the elections had been rigged. He also underlined that
Sarkisian’s presidency would not have influence on the process of
negotiations.
Chief of Public Union `Nagorno Karabakh’s Azerbaijani Community’,
head of Shusha region executive power Nizami Bahmanov told APA that
it was known beforehand that Sarkisian would win. Bahmanov also added
that Armenian leadership had no say in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict,
no matter who would win the elections.
`Russia and Armenian lobby have their say, all Armenia is under this
influence. What can Armenian president do, if international
organizations and the world community demonstrate strictness,
persistence and resoluteness? The community does not believe that
Serzh Sarkisian, who directly led the battles in Nagorno Karabakh,
will recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity unambiguously and
provide conditions for Azerbaijanis to return,’ he said.