NATO IS NOT OFFERING PEACEMAKERS TO KARABAKH
Lragir.am
23 May 06
It is unlikely that NATO will deploy peacemaking forces in the
Karabakh conflict area. This viewpoint was expressed by Robert
Simons, the special representative of the Secretary General of NATO,
who is visiting Armenia for two days. Simons said the question of
peacemakers could be considered only after an agreement between the
parties. Moreover, Simons thinks that the parties will be deciding
the number of these forces, what organizations they will represent
and where they will be stationed.
Simons said the question of peacemakers could be decided by the sides
after reaching an agreement. He mentioned that NATO is not offering
participation in the peacemaking mission. Generally, Robert Simons
states that NATO is not engaged in the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict but it is willing to support the OSCE Minsk Group. According
to Robert Simons, the mandate of mediation of the settlement of the
conflict belongs to the OSCE.
Robert Simons states that the head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Pierre Leluche can have his stance on the settlement, and he can
even offer mediation. He states that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
is an independent organization and can have its standpoint, but
the standpoint of NATO is that the talks for the Karabakh conflict
are mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, and they can only give their
support. He says almost the same thing about the Armenian-Turkish
relations, stating that it is a matter of bilateral relations.
Although Turkey approved launching an individual partnership program
with Armenia, Simons said, nevertheless, that NATO does not attend
to the internal political problems of its members.