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Foreign Policy Journal Publishes A Commentary On The 20th Anniversar

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  • Foreign Policy Journal Publishes A Commentary On The 20th Anniversar

    FOREIGN POLICY JOURNAL PUBLISHES A COMMENTARY ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF CEASEFIRE IN KARABAKH

    15:03 30.05.2014

    On May 29, 2014, the Foreign Policy Journal published an article by
    Aram Avetisyan entitled "Twenty Years of Karabakh Armistice: No Peace,
    No Trust." The commentary discusses the Karabakh peace process and the
    obstacles that have made a comprehensive peace agreement so illusive.

    The full text of the article is provided below:

    Twenty years have passed since a cease fire agreement was signed
    between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabakh. While the truce
    put an end the large-scale hostilities, there is no final peace
    agreement, and the sides continue to suffer casualties. The question
    why the cease fire has not lead to the comprehensive peace agreement
    remains rhetorical; the lack of confidence between the parties and
    aggressive behavior of Azerbaijan are major obstacles. Moreover,
    the current phase of the peace process remains incomplete with no
    comprehensive participation of Nagorno Karabakh authorities.

    Why does Azerbaijan avoid negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh? Why does
    Baku deny previous contacts with NKR authorities? The answer lies in
    Baku's policy and goals towards everything Armenian. Throughout last
    20 years of relative peace, the world and the region have witnessed
    Azerbaijan's aggressive warmongering, instigation of hatred towards
    Armenians, military build-up, and disregard of calls from the
    international community to initiate confidence-building measures.

    The goals are evident and not new. Just like during the war from
    1991-1994, Azerbaijan uses cease-fire "breaks" to regroup and rebuild
    its military capacities. As soon as it feels ready for another attempt,
    the Azeri leadership begins blackmailing with renewed aggression and
    demands from the Armenian sides to accept the unacceptable. Sniper
    war and cross-border subversions are parts of these tactics.

    Another aspect is Baku's efforts to distort the essence of the Karabakh
    problem and misrepresent the issue as "Armenia's territorial claim
    towards Azerbaijan". Azerbaijan manipulates with the UN Security
    Council's resolutions regarding the Karabakh conflict and complains
    about "occupation of its territories by Armenia". In reality, none
    of those resolutions, which remained unimplemented at Baku's fault,
    has ever mentioned Armenia as aggressor state, since Azerbaijan and
    Nagorno Karabakh are the two principal parties to the conflict.

    Two rhetorical questions: if the problem was between Armenia
    and Azerbaijan, why then would president Aliyev (the father of
    incumbent Azeri leader) delegate his envoys to negotiate with
    official representatives of the NKR; why was the 1994 ceasefire
    document entered into force after being signed by three parties,
    including Nagorno Karabakh?

    Restoration of the previous, OSCE-supported framework with
    participation of the NKR will promote negotiations and facilitate
    final settlement. Implementation of confidence-building measures (CBM)
    by all sides, especially between NKR and Azerbaijan, will help reduce
    the tension and create a favorable atmosphere for the two societies to
    overcome the existing problems. Unfortunately, all previous attempts
    to restore trust between the peoples failed after Azerbaijan blocked
    any CBM initiatives she had received through the OSCE mediators.

    The peaceful formula is simple: less casualties, less warmongering,
    more trust, more chances to achieve regional peace. Through the last
    20 years, Armenia and NKR have tried to persuade Azerbaijan that a
    peaceful solution had no alternative, that snipers along the border
    further aggravated the situation and postponed settlement. Today,
    the Armenian states send the same message to "hawks" in Baku, calling
    them to abandon revanchist aspirations and prevent another tragedy.

    International community and mediators should make it clear that
    Azerbaijani leaders must assume responsibility, and prepare its people
    for peace, rather than war.

    http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/05/30/foreign-policy-journal-publishes-a-commentary-on-the-20th-anniversary-of-ceasefire-in-karabakh/


    From: Baghdasarian
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