RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN: ANY CONCESSIONS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH POLITICAL SUICIDE FOR ARMENIA

news.am
Dec 3 2009
Armenia

Turkey has lost Azerbaijan’s confidence and cannot do anything to
regain it," Richard Giragosian, Director of the Armenian Center for
National and International Studies (ACNIS), told reporters.

As regards the possibility of territorial concessions to Azerbaijan,
which will enable Ankara to reopen the Armenian-Turkish border, he
said: ""Any concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh after the Armenian-Turkish
protocols were signed will be a political suicide for Armenia. The
situation will remain unchanged in the region for many year, a neither
side is displaying political will."

It is much more obvious, as Azerbaijan is not making any steps.

"Azerbaijan is obviously spoiling the negotiation process with its
aggressive and bellicose statements. They signs of Baku’s insincerity
to both Armenia and international community," Giragosian said. "That
is the Armenian-Turkish protocols have nothing in common with the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Rather, they are, in a sense, impeding
the settlement process, as Armenia cannot make any concessions,"
the expert said.

Giragosian believes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can by no
means be settled within 5-10 years, as the international community,
which needs means of influencing the region, is not interested in it.

Moreover, the problem can only be resolved provided democratic
changes in Armenia and Azerbaijan take place, but not under he
circumstances, when the legitimacy of the leaders of both states is
called in question.