EXPECTATIONS HIGH FROM DA PLATFORM FOR RECONCILIATION

Today’s Zaman
Nov 17 2008
Turkey

An Azerbaijani deputy has expressed hope that the Dialogue Eurasia
(DA) Platform may manage to smooth out relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, which have been at odds for many years over the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The DA Platform has significant influence on Caucasian nations. I
believe this influence may be used to give an end to the 15-year-old
grief in the region," stated Professor Nizami Caferov, adding that
the platform may help find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue over which Azerbaijan and Armenia have been at odds for
years. Nagorno-Karabakh’s mostly ethnic Armenian population broke
away from Azerbaijan in a war in the early 1990s as the Soviet Union
collapsed. It now runs its own affairs, with support from Armenia.

"As an Azerbaijani who is closely interested in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, I wish Armenian intellectuals had participated in today’s
conference. I wish they had expressed their opinions to contribute to
the peace process [between Azerbaijan and Armenia]. It is possible
to search for solutions to such issues as Nagorno-Karabakh in such
platforms," Caferov said. His remarks came during a conference titled
"Tolerance and Discrimination in Education," held last Friday in the
southern city of Antalya by the DA Platform.

"Conflicts do not provide benefits to any nation. Humanity wants
peace. Turkish President Abdullah Gul recently held talks with Armenian
officials. This was a step taken for regional peace," Caferov went
on to say. He also stated that the Azerbaijanis were ready for the
solution of problems with Armenia and added: "The Azerbaijani and
Armenian heads of state had a meeting in Moscow. This is a very
serious development."

Journalists and Writers Association (GYV) President Harun Tokak
stressed he hopes the DA Platform creates an atmosphere of peace
among the nations. "We find work by the DA Platform in the field of
tolerance and dialogue to be sincere. I hope this platform will take
concrete steps in these fields. I believe it will become Eurasia’s
conscience," he stated.