ACHIEVEMENT OF THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT AND STABLE PEACE IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE POSITION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH

conflict-12/
2009/04/02|16:36

Politics

NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian’s answers to the mass media
questions

These days, in a conversation with a BBC correspondent, a
representative of the Azerbaijani MFA stated that the status of
Nagorno Karabakh can be discussed only after the liberation of some
territories and return of the Azerbaijanis to Nagorno Karabakh. What
is the NKR position on this issue?

This discourse reflects the traditional approach of the Azerbaijani
policy on misinterpretation of the grounds, core, and consequences
of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

We believe that for creating a basis for the final settlement of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and establishing stable peace in the
region, first of all, achievement of mutual recognition of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic and the Azerbaijani Republic, as well as mutual
rejection of any attempts of a military solution to the conflict
is needed. Mutual recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and
Azerbaijan and rejection of any war gamble should become the start
point of the negotiations and not the final.

This approach will allow to create favorable conditions for solving
the most complicated issues: territories, refugees, and borders. They
must be mutual and brought into step with the course of the peace
process. The key issue among the noted ones is the issue of the
Armenian refugees from the former Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist
Republic. Exclusion of the Armenian refugees from the context of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement, suppression of their legal
rights is a way to nowhere. Without solving the issue of the Armenian
refugees from the Azerbaijani SSR, solution of the issue of any other
refugees or some other issues is impossible.

At a public meeting in Vienna on supporting the peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, with the participation of public
representatives from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno Karabakh, OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairman from France Bernard Fassier stated that "a new
war can be initiated both by the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh as an
independent state, which isn’t done even by Armenia, and any attempt
of unconditional return of this territory to Azerbaijan". What is your
assessment of the discourse of the OSCE MG Co-Chairman from France?

We flatly reject the statement that a new war can be initiated also
by the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh as an independent state. A
new war can be initiated by the tolerance of the world policy centers
towards the warmonger, leading to an ironic situation that the direct
threats to peace by official Baku, in fact, don’t result in tangible
political or legal responsibility. This policy will only strengthen
the Azerbaijani elite’s conviction of its own impunity, which is just
the basic threat to the regional peace.

In due time, Azerbaijan’s aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic became, in a greater extend, possible due to the international
community’s recognition in 1991-1992 the right of Azerbaijan to
independence and non-recognition of the similar right of Nagorno
Karabakh, although the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Azerbaijani
Republic were formed from the former Azerbaijani SSR, basing on
general principles of law.

Continuation of this policy and especially any opposition to the
recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic represent a serious
threat to peace and stability in the region, as they encourage the
Azerbaijani party for false imagination that they can get away with
a new war gamble.

In this regard, we consider it important to emphasize that the world
policy centers’ refusal of the formula of "parity approach" to the
parties’ actions will not only allow strengthening our confidence
of their ability to fairly and impartially assess the situation, but
will also become a guarantee for progress in the negotiation process.

The OSCE MG Co-Chairman also stated that "the most real option now
is to return the Azerbaijani territories under the current control
of the Armenian armed forces, to specify a medium status for Nagorno
Karabakh, with consideration of its security guarantees, which would
be acceptable both for Baku and Yerevan. The second part of the issue
is not solvable now, and the self-determination of the people of
Nagorno Karabakh is possible only in 5 or 10 or 15 years, after the
Azerbaijani community’s return to the region". How will you comment
on this position?

Mr. Fassier voiced the elements of the so-called "basic principles",
which the OSCE MG proposes for consideration of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents. The consultations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan on these principles take place on the formula "nothing
is agreed and solved until everything is agreed and solved". Due to
this, it seems untimely to comment now on the functional elements of
these consultations, which may not get their final shape introduced
by the mediators. Consequently, when the consultations give specific
results, then we’ll assess if they are acceptable for our people or
if they are generally realizable, because achievement of the final
settlement of the conflict and stable peace is impossible without
taking into consideration the position of Nagorno Karabakh.