EU ENVOY YEREVAN TO REALIZE KEEPING GARABAGH STATUS QUO IMPOSSIBLE

AssA-Irada
November 2, 2009 Monday
Azerbaijan

A European Union official has expressed confidence that the Armenian
leadership will realize that maintaining the status quo in the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict forever is
impossible. Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative for the
South Caucasus, made the statement in an interview with Russian daily
newspaper Vremya Novostey during a visit to Russia. Semneby said,
further, that Azerbaijan and Armenia have significantly advanced in
discussing the mechanisms of the conflict settlement. Many issues
have yet to be agreed regarding details.

But I am confident that, if a favorable environment emerges, they can
move forward further, the EU envoy concluded. Azerbaijan and Armenia
fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in
1994, but Armenia continues to occupy part of Azerbaijani territory
in defiance of international law. The OSCE-brokered peace talks have
not yet resulted in a solution of the conflict. Semneby said he could
not give a specific answer as to which concessions can be made by Baku
and Yerevan. Everything is clearly indicated in the Madrid principles.

Certainly, the most complicated problems are hidden in the details,
but the Madrid document reflects a decision on mutual concessions,
while the most complex issues, including the determination of Upper
Garabaghs status, are postponed indefinitely. The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs brokering the peace process submitted a set of basic
principles for the conflict settlement to the sides in November 2007.

The peace outline calls for "the return of the territories surrounding
Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control. It also covered "a corridor
linking Armenia to Upper Garabagh", as well as a future determination
of the final legal status of Upper Garabagh "through a legally binding
expression of will" and the right of "internally displaced persons and
refugees to return to their former places of residence." Baku says the
occupied districts must be freed and Azerbaijani refugees displaced
during the armed conflict in the early 1990s returned home, and only
after that could the status of Upper Garabagh be determined within
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Regarding the normalization
of Armenia-Turkey relations, Semneby said the reconciliation process
opens up new opportunities for Garabagh conflict settlement. This
process fosters a positive dynamic, said the EU envoy. Nonetheless,
Semneby believes it is wrong to link the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement
with Garabagh settlement. According to him, these are two separate
conflicts and linking them could again close the doors opening up
for mending ties. At the same time, it is clearly seen that tangible
tension in one of these conflicts immediately affects the overall
environment. It should be ensured that these processes positively
affect one another. Turkey and Armenia face decades of enmity due to
Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory and genocide claims. In
a bid to normalize ties, the two governments signed protocols to
establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders on October
10. However, the documents require ratification in both countries
parliaments, and Ankara has made clear that it could normalize
ties with Yerevan only after the Garabagh conflict has been fairly
settled. Semneby said parliamentary approval of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols cannot be guaranteed but added he is confident that this will
happen. The EU official believes that ratification of the documents
meets the interests of both countries.

This is an issue of vital importance for Armenia. Turkey did not
start the process due to its well-wishing attitude, it meats its
interests, as well. This step is one of the first examples of Turkeys
new policy toward neighboring states. Certainly, taking into account
Azerbaijans interests and how Azerbaijanis will react to this is
important for Turkey. But, sooner or later, this process will end
in a way that complies with Turkish interests. Semneby said being in
conflict with Armenia restricts Ankaras potential clout in the South
Caucasus region. Normalizing relations with Yerevan will open up new
opportunities, strengthen security in the volatile region and improve
economic relations, he added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress