SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO CHEW THAN TO SPEAK
James Hakobyan
Lragir.am
10-07-2007 11:56:20
It is interesting to listen to the officials of Armenia and Karabakh
speak about the Kosovar conflict, viewing it in the context of its
possible influence on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. On
the one hand, they say Karabakh is different from all the other
conflicts. On the other hand, however, they make pronouncements
which are not clear and in some sense they even reveal diplomatic
shortsightedness. For instance, the pronouncement that "after
recognizing the independence of Kosovo the world does not have the
right not to recognize the independence of Karabakh." This is the
official stance of Karabakh and Armenia on Kosovo, which was spelled
out in the Armenian prime minister Serge Sargsyan’s interview with
Reuters.
Perhaps, we may say there is no stance as such. On the one hand, it
is clear because Russia is against the independence of Kosovo, and
Armenia cannot hold a different opinion. On the other hand, however,
it is strange that with Karabakh which declared about its independence
Armenia and even Karabakh are afraid of endorsing the independence
of Kosovo. Certainly, it can hardly be envy because the conflict
that occurred after Karabakh is resolved into independence before
Karabakh. Although, we must admit that it is a little upsetting that
the world greets the "late" guest more "heartily" than the early guest.
In international politics, however, envy and grudge are hindering
and useless circumstances. Good sense is necessary here. And
logically, if you want independence, you cannot criticize others’
independence. Meanwhile, the stance the Armenian officials spell
out is the same as acting against the independence of Kosovo. The
independence of Kosovo is not our problem, of course. Our problem
is that they also act against the independence of Karabakh. When we
analyze the pronouncement "after recognizing the independence of Kosovo
the world does not have the right not to recognize the independence
of Karabakh" our officials make on different occasions, it appears
that we tell the world "look, if you recognize the independence of
Kosovo, you have no right not to recognize our independence." What
if the world refuses to recognize the independence of Kosovo? Does it
mean the world will have the right not to recognize the independence
of Karabakh? Judging by the logic of the Armenian officials, yes;
if after recognizing the independence of Kosovo it has no right not
to recognize the independence of Karabakh, in case of not recognizing
the independence of Kosovo it will have the right not to recognize
the independence of Karabakh.
Hence, in an effort to find possibly "complementary" answers in
expressing a stance on Kosovo, the Armenian officials jeopardize
Karabakh.
Moreover, in an effort to separate the Karabakh issue with its
cause-and-effect peculiarities the Armenian side itself links Karabakh
with Kosovo, setting forward if options. "Sometimes it is better to
chew than to speak," runs the famous ad. Of course, it is not new
to our officials, this is what they are doing all of the time, and
perhaps the idea of the ad occurred to a former or present Armenian
official. But how can one chew without a cup of a clear brand? Only
the Russian drunkards drink without a toast.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
