EXCHANGING A BIRD IN THE HAND FOR TWO IN THE BUSH
KarabakhOpen
25-03-2008 14:58:29
Over the past 10 years the Armenian establishment has been "ashamed"
of talking about the inadmissibility of talks on returning territories
around the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, and the
settlement of those territories has been referred to as a great
secret. In an effort to appear as "tolerant realists", the Armenian
politicians, both pro-government and opposition, say compromise is
unavoidable. In addition, in the country which ensured the territorial
security of part of its population through military actions, people
who are anxious about the reconstruction of liberated territories
are referred to as radical nationalists.
Moreover, Karabakh is not conducting an adequate policy. Even in
their own Constitution, with regard to the borders, the Karabakhis
used the terms "de facto borders" and "till the final determination
of the status."
The impression is that the Armenian establishment has lost the sense
of reality and is exchanging a bird in the hand for two in the bush.
What is the cause of this tolerance and readiness for a
compromise? Most politicians "nod" at pressure from the outside and
shortage of force. In other words, they admit their weakness and
voluntarily give away what someone else threatens to take by force.
The ARF Dashnaktsutyun is against discussion of the possibility of the
return of any territories controlled by the Karabakh Army of Defense to
Azerbaijan in Armenia, said the head of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun office
for Hay Dat and political affairs in a news conference dedicated to
the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement.
This is already news for the Armenian political sphere. Especially
that the representatives of the same ARF Dashnaktsutyun used to state
the opposite a few months ago.
Kiro Manoyan says Armenia does not have the right to make decisions
regarding the territories of Karabakh. "Unfortunately, most politicians
in Armenia announce about the possibility of return of territories,
which weakens our stance considerably, we need to have Azerbaijan
become unable to claim to any territory," Kiro Manoyan said.
He said that with regard to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict the settlement of the liberated territories may have a
considerable role.
"If we cannot repatriate Armenians to their former homes, it is
pointless to talk about other problems. And such repatriation must
be organized by the government," Kiro Manoyan said, Arminfo reports.
On the same day, the president elect of Armenia, Prime Minister Serge
Sargsyan met with the prime minister and president elect of Russia
in Moscow. During the meeting Serge Sargsyan underlined that Armenia
is ready to continue negotiations mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group
and assured that as the president elect he is ready to resume talks
with Azerbaijan.
What do the Minsk Group co-chairs report? What is the Armenian
government ready to negotiate? The U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza revealed to the Voice of America some details of the
talks: first, recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan;
second, return of seven territories to Azerbaijan and return of people
displaced from those territories; third, pullout of Armenian force;
fourth, creation of a corridor between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,
fifth, determination of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh during the
talks through a compromise.
He stated that they uphold the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
but at the same time, they expect a fair, peaceful resolution of the
Karabakh issue through cooperation.
One more statement. "We have stated for a number of times, and I repeat
now that Nagorno-Karabakh will never be independent, the international
community (the UN General Assembly) once again spelled out its stance
on this issue. Azerbaijan will never allow that," stated the president
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Has the stance of the Armenian establishment on the territorial
integrity of NKR changed? Did Kiro Manoyan spell out the general
tendency of change of approach of Armenia toward the talks or is it
only his personal opinion?