RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN: REVELATIONS OF THE TURKISH PRESS ABOUT SECRET NEGOTIATIONS UNDERMINE PEACE EFFORTS

Noyan Tapan

Feb 11, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The Director of the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies (ACNIS) Richard Giragosian on
February 11 issued a statement, in which he commented on the Turkish
newspaper Hurriyet’s publication, according to which Armenia and
Azerbaijan have reached a new partial agreement on Hagorno Karabakh.

Below is the comment submitted to NT by the press service of the ACNIS.

"According to an article in today’s issue of Hurriyet (Turkey),
Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached a "partial agreement" on
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The article’s author
claims that the agreement was reached by the mediation of Turkish
foreign minister Ali Babacan, and, in essence, it is a 4-provision
draft on the establishment of peace, which includes the re-opening of
roads and railways between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the deployment
of international peace-keeping forces in this region.

The publication remains unconfirmed by Armenian, Azerbaijani and
Turkish officials, and being quite sensational, it gives an occasion
for concern in terms of an unexpected breakthrough in the unresolved
Karabakh conflict.

Moreover, the unfounded publication reveals the danger that comes
from the lack of transparency of the peace establishment process and
the society’s inadequate awareness of it.

In fact, the closed and secret process of the OSCE Minsk Group’s
mediation only leads to a lack of perception and awareness, especially
as neither the Armenian government nor the Azerbaijani one have
adequately prepared their citizens for a possible peace agreement.

Meanwhile, there is not any viable alternative to the OSCE Minsk Group
– as a mediator in the Karabakh conflict. It is the only international
body empowered to conduct the mediation aimed at solution of the
Karabakh problem, and it has been engaged in delicate diplomacy for
a long time.

However, the structural flaw in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group is
the absence of a democratically elected representative of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic (NKR), which as an immediate conflict party should
be given a more direct and official role in the peace process.

It is obvious that not invloving Karabakh as an equal party in
the negotiation process causes distrust on the way of reaching the
appropriate negotiation solution in line with the minimum requirements
of security and stability.

Giving the role of the primary mediator in the Karabakh problem to
the OSCE Minsk Group also means that Turkey may have only an indirect
role in the peace establishment process. Taking into account its close
strategic relations with Azerbaijan and the undeniable diplomatic,
economic and military assistance that Turkey provides to Azerbaijan,
including the continuous blockade of Armenia, this country cannot be
perceived as a neutral mediator in the Karabakh conflict.

The lack of information on the peace process results in misinformation,
endangering the fragile negotiation process. In Armenia, this
lack deepens the misunderstanding and contributes to the deepening
indifference of the population. The Armenian government must do much
more to involve its citizens in the peace process.

It is important to mention that Azerbaijan has also failed to properly
prepare its society for possible progress in the negotiation process.

Besides, the secrecy of the negotiation process only increases the
bellicose statements of that country’s leaders and radicalizes the
internal debate of Azerbaijani society. Although the war in Georgia
in August 2008 only re-affirmed the dangers related to an unexpected
outbreak of hostilities in the region, Azerbaijani leaders continue
using the language of irresponsible bellicose statements and threats,
straining the regional security even more.

Thus the recent revelations of the Turkish press about the secret
negotiations on the Karabakh conflict only undermine the continuous
peace efforts. The most dangerous thing is that the lack of information
and transparency contributes to the spread of false rumors, strengthens
the stereotypes and emphasizes the extreme views. The failure of
all the sides to prepare their societies for the peace process and
involve them in this process is the consequence of the absence of a
balanced state governance and proper leadership."

To recap, the Head of the RA MFA Press and Information Department
Tigran Balayan refuted Hurriyet’s publication. He said that no
negotiations on the Artsakh problem have been conducted through Turkey.