RUSSIA DOES NOT HAVE ALL KEYS TO PROBLEM: SABINE FREIZER

news.am, Armenia
Jan 15 2010

Turkey tries to urge Russia to work closer with Armenia so that it
makes concessions in Karabakh talks. Turkey wishes to see Russia
as well as other players, including U.S. and EU more involved
in Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Europe Program Director at
International Crisis Group Sabine Freizer said in her interview with
Azerbaijani Trend News agency.

"Russia’s ability to actually push through an agreement is perhaps the
strongest among all international players, but remains limited. It is
only when the two countries and the two societies are ready to accept
these basic principles that there would be an agreement," she stated.

Freizer hailed positive intensification of OSCE states, including
Russia, underlining that process should be accompanied by debates in
Armenia and Azerbaijan concerning the basic principles. The agreement
is possible once both societies are ready to accept it.

"So, the principles cannot be forced upon Armenia and Azerbaijan
from Russia or from the US, the societies also need to agree to them
themselves," Freizer underlined.

According to her, Turkey strives to reach stability and peace in the
South Caucasus, attempting to settle Karabakh conflict. However, it
should realize that Russia "does not have all keys to the problem",
Trend reads.

"The Moscow declaration of November 2008 was an example of the
limitations of Russian influence. The Russian leadership did step in
and was successful in getting a signature from the two presidents,
but this did not change anything on the ground or get the sides closer
to a comprehensive agreement," Europe Program Director added.