EX-FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA:THE MOSCOW DECLARATION FAILS TO AFFIRM NON-USE OF FORCE

armradio.am
17.11.2008 12:33

Ex-ForeignMinister of Armenia, President of Civilitas foundation
Vartan Oskanian gave an interview to Azerbaijani Day.Az agency. .

Asked to comment on the Moscow Declaration signed by the Presidents
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, Vartan Oskanian stated: "I don’t
think this document will add anything to the process. It does not go
beyond generalities. But for someone who can read between the lines,
it is very telling. First, in my view, given the Russian mediation and
what transpired in Georgia, this document was to affirm the commitment
of all involved parties to non-use of force, but it does not. Second,
given the vague and indirect reference to Madrid principles, it is
clear that the long existing differences between the parties have
become even deeper. Third, Azerbaijan remains fixated on non-Minsk
process documents advancing a one-sided solution, which are contrary to
the letter and spirit of the very document that the parties seemingly
remain committed to."

Why is Moscow decided to undertake the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict at this moment? Which dividends does Russia hope to take from
its mediation mission? In response to the question, the ex-Foreign
Minister said: "It is not unusual that a president of a Minsk Group
co-chair country intermittently takes such initiative. Preside nt
Chirac of France has done it before, President Putin on few occasions,
even President Bush has done it right after Key West meeting. Today
the context and the circumstances under which this meeting has taken
are, of course, different. Russia clearly would like to demonstrate
its leadership in the region and rebuff the criticism leveled against
her for recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia."

Asked whether it is possible that the Kremlin puts pressure on
Yerevan for the latter to make concessions in the Karabakh issue and
if yes, will Serzh Sargsyan be able to persuade Karabakh Armenians
to make concessions in this conflict, Vartan Oskanian responded:
"I am not in the inner circles of decision making and cannot say
whether there is pressure or not. In the past there has not been
any pressure from anyone. But again the situation in the region
and the world is different today. However, Armenia’s president’s
options are limited. As far as I sense our public’s sentiments, we
have already pushed that to the limit in the Madrid document for the
sake of reaching a peaceful solution. I really don’t see how anyone
can sign a document in which Karabagh people’s unequivocal right to
self-determination, its integral link to Armenia and security are
not guaranteed."