KARABAKH RECOGNITION WILL SUIT EVERYONE EXCEPT KARABAKH
NANO ARGHUTYAN
LRAGIR.AM
17:11:28 – 19/05/2009
The U.S. with its inherent energy, tries to draw new borders
in the Eastern Europe and in the South Caucasus. The three main
conflicts in this region are almost settled. Kosovo is recognized
and Serbia has only to appeal to the International Court. No one
dreams of returning the South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the bosom of
Georgia. Moreover, the American diplomat Mathew Bryza, who seems to
be the best specialist for the Caucasus in the world, stated "Now we
are helping Georgia to restore the way of thinking. We have to help
them to think otherwise. And to think that first of all they have to
defend their territory. I do not mean Abkhazia and South Ossetia I
mean the resting territory".
Bryza, as usual, told everything. He not only broke all the hopes of
Georgia to restore territorial integrity, but also openly announced
about the lessons, which the U.S. is going to give to the countries
of the South Caucasus. And, while Matthew Bryza is only a second or
even a third international class diplomat, his word has long been
perceived as the position of the U.S. Department of State.
So, one can confidently assert that the United States would
"help restore the way of thinking" to Armenia and Azerbaijan
too. First of all, Ilham Aliyev needs these lessons. As a result
of the learned lessons there can be the recognition of Karabakh by
Azerbaijan. However, it may seem incredible, but this way is the most
favorable for the United States, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Since,
the alternative is to preserve the status quo within the borders,
a thing that does not suit Baku at all. The real assessment of
the situation may encourage the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh
by Azerbaijan within the former NKAO. And, there should not be any
doubt that the recognition will be supported by the United States,
and no longer in the person of Matthew Bryza.
However, this option does not suit Karabakh. Apparently, the factor of
the Karabakhi resistance to the self-recognition is not fully accounted
in the settlement process. The mediators represent the recognition of
the independence of Nagorno Karabakh in the frameworks of the former
NKAO as the highest bar for Karabakh. They say, formerly there was
no word about the recognition and now Obama, Sarkozy and Medvedev
may meet specially to agree on the recognition. It is not worthy to
claim anything more.
In Karabakh, they categorically disagree with it. They do not believe
the promotional tricks here, because people think by real measuring –
security, land, well-being. For example, on May 18, the Second Forum
of NKR NGOs adopted a document, which runs that the processes of
building confidence between the parties of the Karabakhi conflict
"should be based on real facts, the real state of things".
It is not ruled out that right the recognition of Karabakh may
be a "breakthrough", which the mediators promised in June in
St. Petersburg. Perhaps the French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Bernard Fassier left for Baku from Yerevan right with this purpose
then to Ankara to persuade Gul to recognize the NKR first. That would
be a great step.