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CONFLICTS
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PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS HINGES ON SECRECY
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Source: “Azg” newspaper (Armenia) [September 03, 2005]
Author: Tatul Hakobian
In the course of Rupel’s visit, the sides will give assessment of the
current stage of negotiations
On his regional visit, OSCE Chairman-in-office, Dimitrij Rupel will
visit Yerevan on September 5-6. Foreign Minister of Slovenia will
meet Presidents of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh, Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, as reported by RA MFA.
After Kazan negotiations of Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham
Aliev, OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmen left for the capital of Slovenia,
Ljubljana with information on the details of Kazan meeting. It is
important to note that in his public statements, Rupel separates the
MK issue from all other interethnic conflicts on CIS territory,
considering MKR a disputable territory.
After the visit of OSCE Chairman-in-office to Yerevan and Baku, the
Co-chairmen will start preparation to the next stage of meetings on
the level of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, likely to
take place by the end of September beginning of October. As reported
by `Mediamax’, Russian mediator Yuri Merzliakov answered the question
`Why the sides are so reserved after the Kazan meeting?’ in the
following manner, `There was an agreement on keeping the details of
discussion secret’.
`Recent negotiations of the Presidents were very useful, the
discussion was detailed and predictable’, Yuri Merzliakov stated to
Azerbaijani ANS TV Company. Russian Co-chairman refused to answer the
question whether new proposals were made in Kazan, noting only that
the `progress of negotiations hinges on secrecy’.
Merzliakov noted that the Co-chairmen will take all effort for
conducting another meeting Kocharian-Aliev until the end of the
year. The visit of the Co-chairmen to the region should take place by
December.
Yesterday Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan expressed concern over the
visit of Armenian President to Mountainous Karabagh, qualifying it as
a step impeding the process of settlement. `Regretfully, Yerevan is
taking steps that do not contribute to activation of the
negotiations’, Head of MFA Press and Information Department Tayir
Tagizade stated. Yesterday, Turkish `Hurriyet’ newspaper published an
interview with President of Azerbaijan, in which Ilham Aliev notes,
`Each Azerbaijani is deeply convinced that the day will come when the
occupied territories will be liberated and the Azerbaijani flag will
flutter over Karabagh’. Commenting on the Kazan meeting, Aliev
stated, `There are no results yet. Armenians expect that we will give
them independence, however it is impossible’.
Robert Kocharian, on a visit to Stepanakert to celebrate the 14
anniversary of Karabagh independence, stated to the journalists
yesterday that he has positive impressions of the meeting with
President of Azerbaijan in Kazan. `Positive tendencies are traced in
the negotiation process’, he stated and added, `Mountainous Karabagh
cannot be an object of bargaining, and the Armenian people are
unanimous about it’.
On his behalf, MKR President assured that MKR authorities are for a
peaceful settlement of the conflict, emphasizing that no one will
succeed depriving us of Artsakh and its independence, achieved at the
cost of inevitable losses’.
Azerbaijan is unable to protect even the rights of its own people to
say nothing of ethnic minorities living in this country. This fact is
enough to recognize the rights of Mountainous Karabagh people for
their own, sovereign state, independent from Azerbaijan’, Arkady
Ghukasian stated.
THE FACT OF AZERBAIJAN GETTING EMPTY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KARABAGH!
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Source: “Star” newspaper (Turkey) [August 31, 2005]
Author:
We always tried to cover the real situation in the Turkic countries of
the post-Soviet space.
Azerbaijan is closest to us from all the aspects. If you allow, we
will postpone the process of settlement of Karabagh conflict, which
seems to be endless, and will present to you the demographic problems
requiring attention.
On August 27, after CIS summit of August 26 in Kazan, the meeting of
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Aliev and Kocharian took place
there.
The recent meeting of the two leaders was held on May 16 in
Warsaw. Before each meeting, there is some information of the type,
`prior to each meeting there are details that resolution of the
conflict is close’. This time we had the same situation, however, no
concrete agreements were reached.
In compliance with the decision of UN Security Council, by April 30,
1993 the Armenians were to have liberated Kerebejer. The withdrawal of
the troops was fixed for July 15. After the coup and dismissal of
Elchibey, the troops were still there. First and foremost, the new
authorities of Azerbaijan started to withdraw the troops of Popular
Front that were fighting in Karabagh, and to dismiss them. Heydar
Aliev then stated, `Our army does not fight’. From the period of July
to October that year, the Armenians occupied 5 more regions in
Karabagh besides Kerbejer and Lachin: Agdam, Jebrail, Fizuli,
Zangelan, Kubatli.
Empty Talk
On May 1994, a truce was signed. The situation was quite uncertain. It
was not clear if Azerbaijan capitulated, lost or won.
Aliev the senior met Kocharian 22 times with no result. During OSCE
summit in Lisbon Heydar Aliev stated that Armenia occupied Azerbaijan
and put veto on OSCE decision. This event was presented as a heroic
deed; as a result, the baby boys born on these days were named after
Lisbon. Genje governor once stated, `President was a hero at Lisbon
summit’, thus entering the anthology of Azerbaijani humor.
Making a speech at the refugee camp, Heydar Aliev stated that the
Armenian Diaspora is very strong and therefore Azerbaijan will be
unable to fight against them. (2002). Armenian Foreign Minster Vartan
Oskanian constantly avoided concrete agreements, putting unacceptable
conditions for Azerbaijan and categorically rejecting Turkish
mediation.
During the two-day session at Armenian Parliament (18-19 April, 2005)
Defense Minister Serj Sargsian stated, `To strengthen second Armenian
state, we should do our best and should not allow interference of our
enemy – Turkey’.
At EU summit May 15-17, the Presidents of the two countries vested
additional powers with their Foreign Ministers to continue
negotiations. Special representative of Azerbaijan on Karabagh Araz
Azimov stated, `In August, we might probably reach an agreement’. On
August 23-24 on the eve of Kazan meeting, Foreign Ministers met in
Moscow for empty talk. Half Departed In other words, the negotiation
process was constantly underway with no result. Armenia proved
stronger in this aspect with Russia constantly at its back.
Half Departed However, let us consider the most important
aspect. There are numerous publications that only 2 million people are
left in Armenia. Still, there is the reverse of the medal. Azerbaijan
is also getting empty. Since 1993, 3 million Azerbaijanis have moved
to Russia. Even Sweden has more refugees from Azerbaijan than other
countries – over 2 thousand people. In European countries, 200
thousand Azerbaijanis enjoy a refugee status. Turkey has 200 thousand
of them, Ukraine – 300 thousand, Iran – 100 thousand Azerbaijanis.
Thus, the 8 million population of Azerbaijan is already reduced almost
twice.
The elections in Azerbaijan are close. We will still raise this issue.
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ECONOMY
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ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY IS OF NO SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO GEORGIA
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Source: “Rezonansi” newspaper (Georgia) [August 25, 2005]
Author:
The Russian side formed a group of specialists that will take up study
of the railway in Abkhazia. As you know, the railway linking Russia to
the South Caucasus countries stopped functioning because of the recent
events in Abkhazia. Up to recently, the negotiations on restoring the
railway faced an impasse. The Georgian side was categorical in
relating this issue to the return of the refugees back to the
uncontrolled autonomy. It encountered if not resistance, at least
silent disagreement of the other parties to negotiation – the
Abkhazian and Russian sides. However, the situation changed recently –
though Tbilisi thinks return of the refugees is a priority, it is more
tolerant to the issue of restoring the railway than previously.
Expert Gia Khukhashvili holds the unilateral study of the Abkhazian
segment of the railway is accorded with the Georgian side. `Our
authorities have changed their position? The refugees have not yet
returned, why don’t the authorities express their protest?’ he
asks. Thus, the expert holds that the initiative of restoring the
railway communication is fully seized by the Russians and the
Abkhazians, whereas the Georgians may finally end up in a difficult
situation necessitating constant minor and major concessions, for
instance, in such important issues as opening of the checkpoint on
Psou-Inguri segment. Khukhashvili is uncertain over the main issue too
– who will take the responsibility, and to put it directly, who will
own this segment of the railway – Russia or Georgia.
Gia Khukhashvili also traces a menace in clarifying financial
issues. He thinks the situation is quite strange. From the very
outset, Georgia insisted on purely economic nature of restoring the
railway. However, it is obvious that this issue acquired strong
political implication, given the fact that functioning of the railway
will bring maximum efficiency to Russia and particularly Armenia but
not Georgia, as Khukhashvili holds. `There is a situation of giving a
lot but getting a little. Though we do have questions – for instance,
how can the railway be restored without the involvement of the
Georgian side. Obviously, our opponents calculated everything – they
will propose something and we will agree. If it actually happens, the
suspicions about illogical behavior of our authorities will come
true’, Gia Khukhashvili holds. In his opinion, Georgia does not have
problems with cargo transportation even without this railway. The
additional railway, certainly, will never be supe! rfluous, however
it will be significant to Russia and Armenia and not Georgia. Besides,
Khukhashvili thinks it is not clear why prior to the railway recovery
the issue of regulating parallel car route, in good condition, was not
even mentioned. Besides, Khukhashvili holds it would be possible to
find out how secure the route is before starting restoration of the
railway. All this points to lobby intrigues with a different
motivation. `We are more in the political than economic field’,
Khukhashvili thinks
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NEIGHBOURS
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BAKU WILL DO ITS BEST FOR REMOVING ISOLATION OF NORTHERN CYPRUS
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Source: “Zerkalo” newspaper (Azerbaijan) [September 05, 2005]
Author:
Head of the State Holds that No One Has a Right to Exert Pressure on
Azerbaijan
‘Azerbaijan is very strong, so Armenia will give in. However, we do
not want war, since many people will die. I believe that sooner or
later we will get our lands back. No one should ever doubt
it’. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev stated about it to Turkish
`Hurriyet’ newspaper, published on September 2, as `Trend’ agency
reports.
“Each Azerbaijani strongly believes that the time will come when the
occupied lands will be liberated, whereas the Azerbaijani flag will
again flutter over Karabagh’, President Aliev emphasized, commenting
also on the results of the Kazan meeting with President of Armenia
Robert Kocharian. `There are no results yet. Armenians are expecting
independence from us. However, it is impossible! Our priority is
preserving territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. I told Kocharian that
we are ready to guarantee security of the Armenian community of
Karabagh. I emphasized that Baku will not allow the community to face
any danger’, Ilham Aliev stated, adding that `however, they (Armenian
armed forces) are unwilling to liberate our lands’.
At the same time, I. Aliev noted that in the course of the recent
telephone conversation US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated
that Washington wants the sides to resolve the conflict. `I do not
understand why Armenia, as an occupier state, is not punished, though
I do understand that the Armenian lobby is strong. The current
situation is extremely unfair”, I. Aliev stated. He noted that after
this conversation he felt some softening in the position of Robert
Kocharian, though it was not sufficient for settling the problem.
‘We took all possible steps. However, Armenia does not heed the
opinion of the international community. Over a million Azerbaijani
citizens were left homeless. The West aspires to fast settlement. We
will do our best to this effect. Further on, we will sit down to think
it over’, I. Aliev summed up.
President of Azerbaijan also raised the issue of pressure on official
Baku as regards settlement of economic ties with the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus. First steps towards Azerbaijan were taken by the
Greek authorities, summoning our ambassador to MFA and giving him a
note. However, we did not pay attention to this. Further on, a letter
was addressed to Baku from the Republic of Cyprus, which I put aside
without opening. No one has a right to exert pressure on Azerbaijan’,
I. Aliev noted.
The Azerbaijani President also emphasized that he pays no heed to
international pressure, noting `he does not even remember the author
of the letter addressed to him from Greek Cyprus”. The Head of State
reminded that many doubted his statements on breaking the isolation
regime of the Northern Cyprus. `There were many critical articles on
my behalf. However, I kept my word. The time has come for other Turkic
states to support Azerbaijani position on this issue. Now it is their
turn to take similar steps’, I. Aliev stated.
The question of whether Azerbaijan will take new initiatives in this
direction was answered by Aliev, `We will do our utmost, since we do
believe that the isolation of Cyprus should be removed. The injustice
should be put an end to. Strangely, the punishment is put to the side
supporting UN plan on unification of the island. It is impossible
either to understand or accept’.
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