Azerbaijan avoids preparing society for peace

[Hovhannisyan] The international community has reacted in a positive manner to the 16 January meeting in Paris between Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers [Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov respectively]. It was stressed in this context that it is important to prepare societies in Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace. The idea of preparing for peace continues to be actively discussed. How would you comment on the broad response the idea has received?

[Mayilyan] The idea of the need to prepare societies for peace in the conflict settlement process is a kind of common truth. The history of the settlement of the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan has seen periods, when it was believed that the leaders of the countries were closer to achieving accord on signing a peace treaty than societies of the sides. That is why calls for preparing peoples for peace were voiced.

However, as regards the current stage of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict, the attempts to equate sentiments in societies of Armenia and Artsakh on the one hand and in Azerbaijan on the other are absolutely inappropriate. Both Artsakh and Armenia are far ahead in this sense. In order to make further progress in this direction, Azerbaijan should overtake arrears and travel a long road, which the Azerbaijani government has avoided in every way. Baku has not only refused to prepare its society for peace up to now, but has done quite the opposite: It has actively pursued at the state level the policy of instilling xenophobia regarding Armenians, facilitating crimes on the basis of hatred of Armenians and lauding criminals, who have committed such crimes, prevented civic peace initiatives, constantly threatening with war, persisted in making attempts to isolate Artsakh, and so forth.

Such a policy of Azerbaijan both in the past and currently throws a shadow on the whole process of the settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict, pushing it far back. Therefore, at the first stage, the Azerbaijani government must stop the hatred campaign and take efficient steps, probably with international support, to eliminate the negative developments that have started taking root in Azerbaijani society as a result of many years of instilling intolerance towards Armenians.

Azerbaijan hinders trust-building

[Hovhannisyan] Can you see any preconditions for building trust between the sides?

[Mayilyan] Stepanakert [Xankandi] has put forward various initiatives on many occasions to build trust between the sides, but only threats could be heard in response from Azerbaijan.

The creation of the atmosphere of trust is one of the pillars of the settlement of any conflict. However, practice has shown that the implementation of measures aimed at building trust can be efficient only in conditions, where the peace process is irreversible and there are international mechanisms that guarantee non-resumption of hostilities.

It is obvious that in conditions, where Azerbaijan continues to do all it can to prevent the introduction of the mechanisms for international control over ceasefire, including mechanisms agreed in Vienna and St Petersburg in 2016, you can hardly expect Baku to take realistic steps towards the implementation of measures for building trust.

Azerbaijan not ready to just solution of conflict

[Hovhannisyan] Can you see any signals that would show that Artsakh may become a full-fledged participant in the negotiations?

[Mayilyan] The restoration of full-format negotiations with the direct and full-fledged participation of the republic of Artsakh is one of the most important issues on our foreign policy agenda. This objective can be achieved, if the two Armenian states clearly divide roles and powers in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan. Coordinated steps by Yerevan and Stepanakert in this direction will enable to create preconditions for Artsakh's return to the negotiating table.

The leadership of the republic of Armenia, for their part, have said on a lot of occasions that Stepanakert's interests at the negotiations should definitely be represented by the authorities elected by the people of Artsakh.

At the same time, we can see that Azerbaijan is doing all it can to prevent the restoration of full-format negotiations, putting forward all kinds of unviable ideas and proposals. Azerbaijan's approaches to this issue are a kind of litmus test, which shows that in reality, Baku is not ready to search for a just solution to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

Karabakh – provider of security in region

[Hovhannisyan] What is your attitude to unofficial meetings between Armenian Prime Minister [Nikol Pashinyan] and Azerbaijani President [Ilham Aliyev]?

[Mayilyan] One can only welcome any meetings that facilitate the strengthening of peace and security in the region.

[Hovhannisyan] Artsakh has again confirmed its readiness to de jure assume responsibility for ensuring stability and peace in the region. What steps are being taken in this direction?

[Mayilyan] As an important military and political factor in the region, Artsakh has been a provider of security and has de facto made its contribution to maintaining regional stability for a long time now. For example, using the resources of its own government, Artsakh has unilaterally installed a system of constant video surveillance of the line of contact [with Azerbaijani troops], which may become a component of international mechanism for controlling ceasefire. International mediators have had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the system created.

Speaking about the readiness of the republic of Artsakh to de jure assume responsibility for maintaining regional peace, the first thing we imply is that Arstakh must be involved in the process of peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict as a full-fledged party and share the responsibility for the future of the region together with other signatories of the future binding peace agreement.

International recognition major priority

[Hovhannisyan] What initiatives are there for the international recognition of Artsakh?

[Mayilyan] International recognition is a major priority in the foreign policy of the republic of Artsakh. The process of the recognition of the republic has so far been proceeding at the level of administrative regions and cities of many countries throughout the world. The Artsakh foreign ministry is taking consistent steps aimed at giving an additional impulse to the positive trends that are already in place in the process of international recognition.

At the same time, efforts are taken to broaden and deepen de-centralised cooperation and international contacts of Artsakh. The geography of de-centralised cooperation broadened last year, encompassing the Middle East region. During 2018 in general, friendly relations were established between six towns of Artsakh and foreign countries.