‘JUST EMPTY TALKS FOR THE BLIND’? ANALYST ON PROGRESS IN SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Tert.am
14:56 ~U 09.12.09

In an interview with Azerbaijani news source Day.Az, well-known
Azerbaijani political expert Vafa Guluzade stated that Turkey, by
being a guide for American interests in the region, could become a
leader in the South Caucasus.

However, according to Guluzade, "neighboring countries Russia and Iran,
who do not want Turkey and the United States to increase influence
in the region, will hinder it."

Continuing, Guluzade said, "Currently, Turkey serves as a mediator
in negotiations between the West on one hand and Syria and Iran
on the other. So, Turkey has enormous tasks in the South Caucasus,
the Middle East and Central Asia.

"In this situation, the U.S. can not participate in solving the
Karabakh problem, because now it has other priorities. Washington’s
priority now is relationship with Moscow, and it does not want to
engage in a confrontation with Russia on the South Caucasus," noted
the analyst.

Guluzade once again expressed his opinion that the OSCE Minsk Group
does not genuinely want to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and
"they show no will [to do so]." According to the Azerbaijani analyst,
"It was Azerbaijan who showed a will in 1999, when it was close to the
solution of the Karabakh issue. But the Armenian parliament shooting
at that time canceled all agreements."

On the topic of statements on the progress in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Guluzade considers all such statements
to be "just empty talks for the blind." In his opinion, "there is no
progress in the Karabakh issue."

Vafa Guluzade worked as the Foreign Policy State Advisor to the
Azerbaijani President between 1990-1999.