Lennmarker compared Karabakh conflict with unhealthy tooth

Pan Armenian News

LENNMARKER COMPARED KARABAKH CONFLICT WITH UNHEALTHY TOOTH

05.07.2005 04:35

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The urge to put an end to the conflict is wide-spread
among Armenians lately, as people realize it hampers development of the
country,’ said OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) rapporteur on Nagorno
Karabakh Goran Lennmarker, reported AzerTAj. `All politics, all thoughts of
the country are in a state of conflict. I will cite a simple example: if you
have a sore tooth, you think only of it. Nothing else interests you. A
country at a state of conflict does not think tomorrow, of the future
well-being of the people. From this point of view it is very important to
solve the Karabakh problem in the near future,’ he noted. When answering the
question what should Azerbaijan do to `understand’ Armenia, Mr. Lennmarker
said, `It is a very important question. I am glad you asked it. In my
opinion, Azerbaijan has to convince Armenians that it is not posing threats
to them. That after the conflict is settled it will not treat them as a
loser enemy, will respect them as people. A large number of Armenians are
spread worldwide. The population that remained in Armenia is small. Thus
they have a perception they are weak in contrast to the strong external
world. Azerbaijan has to convince Armenians it will not oppress them. Thus
it is very important for politicians, Azeri MPs not to speak with hatred.
Turn to the history: for long time Armenians and Azeris lived in peace.»