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WHY ARMENIA AGREES TO THE CO-CHAIRS’ PROPOSALS
[05:32 pm] 27 May, 2008
-The most important thing in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is the maintenance of the cease-fire regime.
It is more significant than liberation of the lands
and immigration of the refugees-, stated former
Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group and Deputy Chairman of
the Association of Russian Diplomats Vladimir
Kazimirov.
He notices that very often the terms of the signed
cease-fire are distorted when we speak of a -temporary
armistice-. Kazimirov notes that even if there are no
time limits fixed in the signed agreement it is a
permanent armistice, not a temporary one and the
difference between these two phenomena is of utmost
importance.
By the way, Vladimir Kazimirov can understand
Azerbaijan’s warlike attitude. The Azeri used to be
mightier and were much more in quantity than Armenians
but they lost the war and are now eager to resume
their position through a revenge.
Kazimirov also spoke of the liberated lands calling
them -captured areas-, seized as a result of martial
activities.
So, the existence of captured areas is considered an
objective reality by Kazimirov. He cannot understand
why the Armenian side should agree to the proposals of
Azerbaijan to convey the areas in return for a
theoretical referendum due in fifteen years’ time. In
Kazimirov’s opinion 5 years is quite enough to conduct
a referendum.
In the -Novosti Armenia- international agency Vladimir
Kazimirov expanded on the armistice agreement signed
on May 12, 1994.
He admits that the western representatives of Minsk
Group could have solved the conflict long before if
only they had had a desire. But since their only aim
was to neutralize Russia and contradict her
suggestions, the signing of the armistice was held
back till May 1994.
-And unlike the Western countries which had just
started to establish diplomatic relations with our
region at the beginning of the 90s, Russia knew well
both the conflicting sides and their peculiarities-,
notices Kazimirov.
Kazimirov also stressed the importance of Karabakh’s
participation in the negotiation process as Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh do not always share the same
interests.