NO ESSENTIAL CHANGE IN THE SETTLEMENT PROCESS
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
29 Nov 08
Armenia

Ex Speaker of the National Assembly, at present neutral MP Tigran
Torosyan introduced his standpoints regarding the problematic issues
linked with Armenia’s internal and external policy.

He says the "fiery" developments around Karabakh issue are far not
conditioned by the logic of the main negotiation process, but mostly by
the regional developments. After the five days war between Russia and
Georgia, the latter finally oriented itself towards the United States
(though Georgia’s mildly speaking pro-American stance was evident, at
least after the revolution of roses) and Azerbaijan’s weight increased,
on the background of Armenia’s "nearly evident" pro-Russian stance.

"Depending on which side Azerbaijan will take: Russia’s or the US’s,
that country will have essential influence on our region. This was the
main signal, which marked the beginning of the future developments."

The Moscow declaration of the Presidents, according to the
speaker: "doesn’t have any significance from the point of view
of the settlement", but anyway it is a matter of concern, because
NKR President didn’t sign it: "It is really dangerous and can be
speculated later, because a document has been signed, where the main
party is absent, a party the dest iny of which is being decided by
that document. This indirectly means that they don’t recognize NKR’s
self-determination.

In general the developments displayed that: "there is no essential
change in the settlement process". By signing the declaration Russia,
in the person of President Medvedev simply wanted to emphasize its
influence in South Caucasus.

On the other hand it is really strange that "the declaration speaks
about Madrid principles, which in reality don’t exist. That is to say
the document that includes those principles is a bill, which has not
been signed.

Secondly, all the parties underscore that many issues still need
clarifications. In fact they refer to the bill. It is most probably a
reverence towards the Minsk Group, but it is a very strange approach,
how can we speak about approaches, which have not been yet completed
and there is no complete agreement regarding them. "

Anyhow Tigran Torosyan attaches importance to Madrid principles as
a logical continuation of the "Prague process". "After the "Prague
process" the Co-Chairmen started to speak about solving the problem
in the framework of the two principles: territorial integrity
and national self-determination. In this regard, of course, these
principles essentially and principally differ from the previous bills,
where there is no word about the right to self-determination." But
u ntil the document is finalized and the disputable episodes are not
yet clarified, it is too early to give assessments as the "Satan is
in the details," the speaker believes.

"The radicals state that Karabakh is out of the negotiation format
beginning for 1998, when President Robert Kocharyan "owned" the
function of representing Karabakh’s interests. Whereas according
to the statement made recently by the Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affair of the NKR National Assembly Vahram Atanesyan, after
signing the agreement on ceasefire in 1994 NKR hasn’t participated
in the negotiations as a full party. So which is the truth?"

"In reality I’m not interested in when and under which President
did these processes take place. I’m concerned that Karabakh’s
non-participation in the negotiation process weakens the positions
of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It has an exclusive importance for
me. All the other things are insignificant," Tigran Torosyan said.

The speaker believes: "If the war starts, no one will fight for the
sake of the ruling power, so we shouldn’t link it with the ruling
power.

People protect their motherland, their dignity, and their people’s
dignity and I’m sure any time, whether or not they approve of the
ruling power they will fight."

"Do you intend to establish your own party for the defense of
Karabakh?"

In response to the question of one journalist the ex Speaker of the
National Assembly said: "There is no need to establish party if you
want to protect Karabakh. On the contrary you must forget about your
party interests and protect Karabakh by arms, by pen and by all the
other means."

As regards Armenian-Turkish relations, he said the football diplomacy
didn’t bring any dividends for Armenia, except the encouragement of
the West. "We didn’t achieve anything due to the recent developments in
the Armenian-Turkish relations. God willing in future we will. Turkey
didn’t refuse any of its pre-conditions even three months after Gyul’s
visit and I don’t think they will. So where is the achievement."

Touching upon Hammarberg’s "strict assessments" T. Torosyan agreed,
"There are issues that still need to be solved". Meanwhile he stated
that "There are two months before the January sessions of the PACE,
and only after that can we give real assessment regarding the existing
situation and the response of the General Assembly."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress