ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HAS STATED THAT YEREVAN AGREED TO LIBERATE SEVEN OCCUPIED LANDS: POLITICAL EXPERT
A. Hasanov

Today.Az
10 December 2009 [13:53]

Day.Az interview with Mubariz Ahmadoglu, Director of Azerbaijan-based
Political Innovations and Technologies Center.

Day.Az: To what degree Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
U.S. visit made settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict real?

Mubariz Ahmadoglu: It was known even prior to Erdogan’s visit to the
United States that Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
will be resolved within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The
principle of territorial integrity has always dominated over all
other principles of resolving conflicts between nations.

In this respect, Azerbaijan has always stated that the right of
nations to self-determination can only be used within its territorial
integrity.

Following Erdogan’s visit to the U.S. and U.S. President Obama’s
statement that he will help to intensify work of the Minsk Group,
it seems that chances have increased to resolve this conflict within
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in short timeframe which is
supported by all OSCE Minsk Group member countries.

Is it possible to predict approximate timeframe for return of
Armenian-occupied regions of Azerbaijan and to say how many regions
will be returned as a first step towards resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict?

I believe it is impossible to predict timeframe for liberation of
lands and how many regions will be liberated. I can only say that
former U.S. co-chair of Minsk Group Matthew Bryza once said return
of all Armenia-occupied regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh is being
discussed at the talks.

In addition, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has made a statement
at least twice that Armenia has given consent to Russian President
Medvedev to liberate seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan. It is
suffice just to have a look at the updated Madrid principles announced
by the White House on behalf of the co-chairs of OSCE Minsk to see
what they say about necessity of returning all the territories around
Nagorno-Karabakh under Azerbaijani control. Of course, the process
of returning of Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan will
take long.

Will beginning of return of the occupied Azerbaijani lands result in
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’as losing power which will undermine
intensified resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Let’s start with the fact that unlike the so-called "Armenian
genocide", a myth which large number of the Armenians believe in,
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh is a realized dream of Armenian
community all over the world which constantly makes territorial claims
to neighboring states.

Moreover, the Armenian historians write that the occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh is the first achievement of Armenians over the last
700 years. All this suggests that the Armenians would do everything
possible not to give back occupied territories to Azerbaijan, their
original owner.

I should note that not everything in this world depends on willingness
of Armenians who are ready to put forward claims not only to territory
of a neighboring states, but even to fruits, for example, calling
apricot "an old Armenian fruit." But in case of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, they will have to accept the fact that it will be resolved
within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Of course, Dashnaksutun and a number of other radical-nationalist
Armenian parties and forces, as well as the Armenian diaspora in the
world, will try to do everything possible to destabilize the situation
in Armenia and change power in this country to stall negotiations on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to bring to power a person who is
opposed to fair resolution based on international norms and rights.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan also understands this. He greatly
strengthened his position inside the country since the last congress
of the ruling Armenia’s Republican Party making also prime minister
his party’s member.

I do not exclude that in the end a truly comic scenario of the
situation will be played in Armenia in which Serzh Sargsyan will
resign from president’s post, but will return to his post after Tigran
Sargsyan, the current Prime Minister and acting Armenian president
once Sargsyan resigns, initiates the company of "people’s prayers"
for the return of the current head of the Armenian state "to reign".