AZERBAIJAN DISCOVERS NEW "BASIC PRINCIPLES"
Vardan Grigoryan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 16, 2008
Armenia

As we know the meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
is previewed in the scope of the non-formal Summit and International
Energy Forum, to take place in St. Petersburg on July 6-8.

On the eve of the resumption of the high level negotiations between
the two Presidents OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairs state that during the
coming months the two sides will have another chance to come to an
agreement on the main principles of the settlement of the Conflict,
proposed in Madrid on November 29, 2007.

Armenian party though, is very alert towards similar positive
statements, taking into account the fact that, before the upcoming
presidential elections in Azerbaijan on October 15, 2008, the ruling
President has adopted a very harsh policy. Azerbaijan, in its turn,
on the one hand agrees to the resumption of the negotiations, but on
the other hand intends to dictate new conditions to OSCE Minsk Group
co-Chairs and Armenian party.

Official Baku is going to use both the upcoming meeting between the two
Presidents to take pace in St. Petersburg and the previewed meeting
between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, as a chance to
revise, rather than discuss the principles.

The evidence of the before mentioned are the brand new and unilateral
principles advanced by Azerbaijani deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov,
based on which Baku is trying to reach the settlement of the conflict.

>From the beginning it’s worth mentioning that the principles of 8
points published by A. Azimov on May 14 have nothing to do with the
main principles on the settlement of the Conflict submitted by the
Foreign Ministers of the two countries in Madrid.

Thus, the evidently invented "basic principles" runs as follows.

According to the first point: "The conflict must be settled in the
framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and there is no
alternative for this approach." Whereas it is well-known that the
"Madrid principles" of 2007, that is to say the main principles of
the settlement of the Conflict authored by the co-Chairs, are based
on, Azerbaijan’s recognition of the sovereignty of the people of
Nagorno Karabakh in case of the return of some part of the liberated
territories.

So, if from today, Baku refuses to fulfill its share of the
responsibilities proposed by the mediators, it is quite natural that
there can be no conversation about ceding any liberated land.

According to the second point: not only is the ceding of the "7
occupied regions" but also Nagorno Karabakh is the principle goal of
the settlement of Karabakh Conflict, which will ensure corresponding
status for Nagorno Karabakh. Whereas Araz Azimov observes the issue
of ceding Nagorno Karabakh, as the main principle of the settlement of
the Conflict, the fulfillment of which is more important than the issue
of the 7 regions. The third point observes the right to sovereignty of
the people of Nagorno Karabakh as an issue of "internal sovereignty",
saying that in such cases they need the agreement of the certain state,
to get their sovereignty. Which means, because Azerbaijan will never
give its agreement on Nagorno Karabakh’s sovereignty, the latter can
get autonomy only in the framework of its territorial integrity.

But it turned out that Nagorno Karabakh ‘s getting sovereignty is
questioned, even in case of being autonomous in the territory of
Azerbaijan, because according to the forth principle published by Araz
Azimov, the issue of the status can be solved only in case Azerbaijani
refugees return to Nagorno Karabakh and their security is provided.

Point five proposes to use Lachin road jointly, according to point
six they give a vague promise to respect the rights of the two
communities in Nagorno Karabakh, in case Armenia stops the "occupation"
of Azerbaijani territories.

And, what is most important, by point seven Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign
Minister dictates conditions even to the international community:
"The principles of the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Nagorno
Karabakh, the joint use of Lachin road by the two sides, and the
settlement of the conflict in the scope of the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan must be included in the draft of the main principles
of the settlement of the Conflict. Only in that case can we expect
productive discussions."

Thus Azerbaijan officially introduces an ultimatum, and not to Armenia
but to OSCE co-Chairs, because they have proposed the main principles
of the settlement of the Conflict in Madrid on November 29, 2007.

This means, by giving their agreement to the meeting between
S.Sargsyan and I.Aliev in the framework of the non-formal CIS Summit
in St. Petersburg, Azerbaijan observes this meeting as a process of
the revision of the main principles of the settlement of the Conflict.

Consequently it is evident that Armenian party can’t agree to this
formality. So, should the authors of the main principles of the
settlement of the Conflict, OSCE co-Chairs, not introduce their clear
stance, regarding the before mentioned, it will be quite clear what
the two Presidents are going to discuss in St Petersburg.

Before the high level meeting previewed in St Petersburg the mediator
countries must make these principles known to Azerbaijan and the
whole world.

Otherwise, Armenia will have to either publish the proposals made by
the co-Chairs in Madrid or refuse the negotiations, proposed by OSCE
Minsk Group co-Chairs based on the "latest discovery" of Azerbaijan.

If Armenia and OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairs overlook, the open step made
by official Baku on May14, Azerbaijan can observe it as a diplomatic
card-blanche to realize their open desire to revise the main principles
of the settlement of the Conflict."