ALL THE WAYS LEAD TO STEPANAKERT
Azat Artsakh Daily
30 Jan 09
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
Last week co -chairmen of the Minsk group of OSCE
Yu. Merzljakov(Russia), Bernard Fasie (France) and Matthew Bryza(US)
visited Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. As ,on the eve of the visit,
the negotiators have informed the representatives of mass-media,
during the meetings with the sides of the conflict, basic theme of
negotiations will be discussions about base principles of conflict
settlement. We must confess,this time, co -chairmen of the Minsk
group of OSCE were selfish in their comments and did not give
press-conference, as they usually did it in Baku and in Yerevan after
the meetings with azeri and armenian presidents and foreign ministers.
In the conditions of availableness of quite miser information,it’s
difficult to judge if negotiators succeeded to coordinate base
principles,after which, by confidence of Yuri Merzlyakov, it would be
possible to work over preparation of the draft of the treaty. Till now
it’s only known about a result from regional visit of co -chairmen
of the Minsk group of OSCE. Both Azeri and Armenian presidents
expressed their agreement to meet again, which as it’s supposed,
can take place on January 28th in swiss Davos,within world economic
forum,where, by the words of Merzlyakov, will continue the process
of coordination of base princ iples. Before the day, on January 27th,
the meeting of armenian and azeri foreign ministers will take place in
Zurich.It’s necessary to say, that the majority of the representatives
of expert and politological communities are not optimistic with the
results of above-mentioned meetings, connected with the possibility of
diplomatic breakthrough in Karabakh conflict settlement. But today we
would like to speak not only, that’s, correctly speaking, not about
possible result of swiss meetings of armenian and azeri presidents
and foreign ministers. The speech is about another matter. As it’s
known, before start of international negotiators today’s visit, it
was declared, they will visit Stepanakert after Baku and Yerevan. The
negotiators themselves confirmed this intention,too, and loquacious
Matthew Bryza even emphasized the importance of NKR participation in
negotiation process. Nevertheless, the program of visit changed and
co -chairmen of the Minsk group did not appear in Stepanakert. As
we knew from reliable sources, the negotiators refused to visit
Stepanakert because of the bad weather. Even helicopter was ready
for co-chairmen, by which three co-chairmen were preparing to visit
Nagorno Karabakh, but because of the bad weather, the travelling did
not take place. Perhaps, negotiators considered it senseless driving
a car by snow- covered mountain roads.
It’s possible,that the reasons for refusing to visit Step
anakert, are really objective, nevertheless, they direct us at some
reflections. Certainly,Yerevan-Stepanakert road is really, difficult to
pass ,especially in winter. Ã~@s a metaphor, we should constant, that
the way leading to peace is always difficult and full of obstacles. So,
from those, who decided to overcome this way, is required definite
efforts and discomforts. May be sacrifice, too. But we don’t want to
think about them, because the people of NKR gave not less victims
and were not less tested through on the way leading to peace. Not
begging the merits and their efforts in the case of reaching the
arrangement and establishing of peace in the region,nevertheless,
we must remark, it was required a little sacrifice from them, their
favour in total. But we must confess, that the matter concerns
more wide theme,than american-european diplomats’ non-adaptation
to discomfort. The matter is that in the situation, when contrary
to internationally adopted documents, Nagorno Karabakh practically
is deduced from negotiation process, such attitude towards Karabakh
side most of all inspires Azerbaijan for undertaking destructive and
even agressive actions. Certainly the negotiators insisted repeatedly
that their meetings and consultations with the representatives of
high authorities of NKR confirm the participation of Karabakh side in
conflict settlement process. But we confess, that it’s indirect and
not direct particip ation about necessity and importance of which is
permanently declared by official Stepanakert. And when negotiators
declare about inavoidableness of including Nagorno Karabakh in
negotiations, no practical steps are undertaken for fulfiling the
idea, when they visit NKR not during all their regional visits, in
this case , accidentally, they stimulate Azerbaijan in the question of
strengthening of the latter’s extremely amoral,illogical,irrational
position. In order not to be naked, let us quote the president of
Azerbaijan that he made one of the previous days."The signing of
Maindorf declaration shows that the sides of the conflict are these
states, and there is no another side of the conflict.
I’m sure that the signing of joint declaration from the side of
the head of Armenia as the side of the conflict will bring end to
the attempts of including Nagorno Karabakh in the process",- on
January 16th Ilham Aliyev declared at the sitting of the Government
spicing it with information about increasing of military expenses
of Azerbaijan until 2.3bn of US dollars. Again and again I want to
remind both Aliyev and co-chairs of Minsk group of OSCE, that without
participation of Nagorno Karabakh any decision concerning conflict
is impractible. And paraphrasing well known proverb, to add. All the
ways lead to Stepanakert. However inconvenient the roads are…
–Boundary_(ID_SKJ+u3d68JHX4NoOhsgXFg)–