IN VIENNA ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI FORUM SUPPORTED BY INTERNATIONAL ALERT HAS FINISHED

Trend
March 27 2009
Azerbaijan

The Armenian-Azerbaijani Forum titled "Security: challenges and
opportunities, as well as mechanisms to establish trust" , that was
taking place in Vienna between 24-27 March, came to an end. According
to information provided to Trend News by International Alert’s
representative Dessislava Roussanova the Forum defined three main
areas in which confidence building initiatives and measures should
be strengthened and actively implemented. According to her, these
areas are: internal work within each society, work to initiate and
support direct people-to-people contacts and work to implement joint
initiatives between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in areas where this
is possible today.

The Armenian-Azerbaijani Forum is being held under the mediation of
International Alert in Vienna. Participants of the forum are Armenian
and Azerbaijani leaders of civil society, experts and intellectuals
from all sides in the conflict. The forum is also attended by the
OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza (U.S.), Bernard Fassier (France)
and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia).

As it was noted by Roussanova, the Forum also provided an opportunity
for direct discussions with the international mediators that have been
working on facilitating political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. According to her, this framework for discussion marks a very
important step in engaging directly civil society in the peacebuilding
process. "It is a step that should be welcomed and appreciated. Many
civil society leaders across the region welcome opportunities for such
direct engagement and I hope that this engagement will continue in one
form or another in future. Experience in successful peace processes
in other places in the world, and International Alert works in other
regions in the world that have been affected by conflict, show that
civil society can play very important role in peacebuilding processes,"
– she said.

Roussanova added that International Alert, together with Armenian and
Azerbaijani partners is going to work on some concrete initiatives:
"The aim of these initiatives is to create a platform for dialogue
where civil society leaders could discuss wide range of issues."

According to her, the next Armenian-Azerbaijani Public Peace Forum
will take place in July 2009.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.