IT IS TIME FOR BAKU TO MAKE UP ITS MIND

news.am
Oct 27 2009
Armenia

Now that the Azerbaijani authorities’ uncompromising position is the
cause of any hindrance to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the
Azeri mass media are unanimously trying to prove the opposite. It is
"by wonderful coincidence" that the mass media serving the Aliyev
clan have, over the last two days, published stereotyped comments
by politicians and experts intended to prove that it is Armenia,
rather than Azerbaijan, that has taken a non-constructive position
in the negotiations process.

The reason for Baku’s violent reaction was RA President Serzh
Sargsyan’s speech at a meeting with Russia-based Armenian businessmen,
when the Armenian leader spoke of the blessed memory of the heroes who
shed their blood in liberating Shushi. In their morbid imagination,
the Baku mass media, using all the stylistic devices of contemporary
science fiction, rephrased the Armenian leader’s appeal for active
financial assistance to the development programs in the city: "The
Armenian side intends to consolidate the results of ethnic cleansing
in Nagorno-Karabakh and prevent Azerbaijanis’ return to the region."

The "righteous cause" of proving the Armenian side’s "non-constructive"
position was supported by some of the members of Azerbaijan’s
Parliament representing the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, with much
of the "burden" falling on Samed Seidov, Head of the Azerbaijani
delegation’s to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE). His statement that "Armenia has never abandoned its
position, and it is not the first statement in this spirit made by
Serzh Sargsyan," leaves one question of principle open: what does
Seidov mean by Armenia’s "position."? The Armenian side’s having
no intention of making Sushi a subject of negotiations must have
proved to be a surprise for the Azeri authorities. Official Yerevan,
which has "outlined" the maximum territorial concessions it is ready
for, has never meant Nagorno-Karabakh, to say nothing of its second
largest city.

Noteworthy is the fact that an official of the Azerbaijani Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, speaking of what is known as Madrid Principles, has
several times pointed out Azerbaijan’s readiness to start consultations
on the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Nagorno-Karabakh after the
second stage of the settlement process.

According to the available information on the Madrid Principles, the
second stage, withdrawal of Armenian troops from Lachin and Kelbajar,
is possible only five years after the first stage.

So it is no secret for anybody that Azerbaijani refugees can return
provided Azerbaijan honors its international commitments for at least
five years after a final document on Nagorno-Karabakh is signed and
comes into force.

Official Baku must have hoped that the Armenian authorities would
continue the corrupt practice of not settling and developing Shushi,
which has been the case for many years. We hope their words about
changing this policy will be followed by deeds.

As to the Azerbaijani leaders, as well as their representatives at
various levels, let them not make vain efforts to prove Armenia’s
"non-constructive" position in the negotiations process. They had
better decide on whether they are ready for inevitable and painful
concessions or not.