CAN ONLY WELCOME THE PRESIDENTS’ DECLARATION
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
04 Nov 08
Armenia

Political Scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan represents his standpoints
regarding the outcome of the trilateral meeting, initiated by Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev, which took place on November 2 in Moscow,
and regarding the declaration signed by the Presidents of Armenia,
Russia and Azerbaijan.

"This is the first document during the recent 14 years, after the
protocol signed in Bishkek, in 1994, by the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan. In my view the trilateral meeting between the Presidents is
a real progress. In fact it is a promise not to use force, a commitment
by which the two parties reiterate that the conflict must be solved by
means of negotiations, in the framework of a peaceful process. This
creates prerequisites to continue the negotiation process in a more
quite and constructive atmosphere.

On the other hand it is evident that Russia anticipates re-establishing
its influence in South Caucasus. Judging from the Moscow meeting they
are managing it, and if this anticipation is brought into line with
peace, something that is enshrined in the joint declaration signed
by the Presidents then I must say that we can only and only welcome
this action."

"But, for unknown reasons, the principle of not using force is not
enshrined in all the 5 points of the declaration. In your view what was
it that prevented the Presidents from clearly enshrining this clause?"

"Yes, the declaration doesn’t directly speak about it, but the idea
is emphasized in all the points some way or another. On the whole, it
is clearly underscored that the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
arranged to continue their touches on high level and agreed that they
must look for the formula of the political settlement of the conflict
on the legal plane.

And this is really logical.

Why? Finally Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation line crosses through
Artsakh and Azerbaijan and not Armenia and Azerbaijan. I have already
underscored many times and I will always say that the real negotiation
phase, that is to say the main process of the peaceful settlement will
start only after Azerbaijan and Artsakh, – Baku and Stepanakert sign a
document on not using force. It will be nonsense to include that clause
in the trilateral declaration signed by the Presidents, because I must
repeat, after all the conflict is not between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

All the other formulations are beneficial for Armenia. With this
regard the declaration really provides an opportunity to create an
effective atmosphere of dialogue for the settlement of the conflict. It
is particularly underscored that the two parties must assist in
the amelioration of the situation in the region, establishment of
stability and security in South Caucasus and that they must look for
the formula of the settlement in the context of the international
principles, norms of international law and the decision taken and
documents signed in that framework.

It is more than beneficial for us, taking into account the fact that
the birth of Artsakh, the realization of NKR’s people’s right to
self-determination, which took place on September 2 1991, totally
comply with the norms of international law."

"The principle of the territorial integrity is one of the norms of
international law. Even a word about the before mentioned fact gives
rise to panic and malevolence among certain part of society and the
circles of Armenian Pan National Movement."

"President Robert Kocharyan was quite right to say that we have no
objections to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, for the simple
reason that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not breached. NKR’s
international recognition won’t breach Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity. Because first of all Azerbaijan itself has refused the
heritage left by the Soviet Azerbaijan, which means it has refused the
administrative borders. Secondly not only Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous
Region but also the entire Karabkh have illegally been annexed to
Soviet Azerbaijan."

"Which means the leaders of Armenian Pan National Movement must over
again be disappointed and they shouldn’t hurry to create panic among
the public saying that an "exclusive" situation has been created in
the negotiations. LTP even refused the demonstration."

"L. Ter-Petrosyan can continue holding demonstrations, because he
will never hinder the process of the settlement of Karabakh conflict.

Ter-Petrosyan, Aram Manukyan, Levon Zurabyan, and all the other members
of that team simply voice their dreams and far not the reality. It
is the fruit of their "frozen" imagination.

Of course they are longing to see such an agreement that could be
easily speculated by them, to show it as an example of weakness
manifested by the ruling power, defeatism, which could give a new
energy to their struggle for power, even at the cost of ceding the
territories of our motherland.

I must disappoint them. This thing will never happen. Artsakh will
remain independent, as it has been after 1991. None of the superpowers
is interested in the war in the region. And cession usually means
new war.

During the recent 10 years, the Armenian authorities haven’t displayed
similar intention. So our people don’t have any reason for concern,
no one is going to solve issues at the cost of the territories of
our motherland."

"Thus you don’t see any reason for "panic".

"On the contrary I was following the Moscow meeting of the two
Presidents by TV and by Internet and I really don’t see any reason
for concern. It is enough to look at the facial expressions of the
two Presidents, Serge Sargsyan, and Ilham Aliev when they were signing
the document and everything will be clear."