A ROUND TABLE ON SITUATION IN THE REGION HELD IN STEPANAKERT

ArmInfo
2008-10-24 19:05:00

ArmInfo. On the initiative of the Armenian branch of the London-based
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, a round table was held in
Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, under the "Karabakh Conversations"
program.

Public figures, politicians, intellectuals and representatives of
the non- governmental sector attended the round table.

As ArmInfo own correspondent in Stepanakert reports, Chairman of
the European Integration NGO Karen Bekaryan came out with a report
"New realias in the South Caucasus, the current state of Armenian-
Turkish relations, prospects of regional cooperation and Karabakh
peace process". He dwelled on the situation in the region after the
war in South Ossetia, the Karabakh peace process in the context of
new realias, possibilities of civil initiatives, etc. In particular,
he pointed out that the Armenian society lacks consolidation of
national conscience, and the society is a passive observer, it
doesn’t react to the ongoing events. He added that the main thing
is to avoid processes endangering Karabakh’s security. "The security
of Nagorno-Karabakh is Armenia’s security", Karen Bekaryan said and
added that being independent, Armenia failed to settle the Karabakh
conflict though it managed to maintain the status quo. Bekaryan also
noted that he doesn’t wish Nagorno-Karabakh to gain independence the
way Abkhazia and South Ossetia did. According to him, now that the
USA is holding election Russia is trying to take over the initiative
in the South Caucasus region.

The participants in the round table noted that different power branches
and public of Nagorno-Karabakh should express its viewpoints more
actively, particularly, on Madrid principles, and determine its tasks
and place in modern world. "Karabakh Conversations" program will also
be carried out in Armenia and Azerbaijan.