Tweet
OSKANIAN SAYS ARMENIA MUST RAISE THE BAR IN KARABAKH TALKS
Asbarez
http://www.asbarez.com/2009/08/03/o skanian-says-armenia-must-raise-the-bar-in-karabak h-talks/
Aug 3, 2009
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian urged the
Armenian government to raise the bar in its negotiations around the
Karabakh conflict resolution, saying current policies fundamentally
differ from that of his administration.
Oskanian said that the position of the Kocharian administration,
under which he served as foreign minister, were based on national
interests, arguing that he and his ministry had raised the bar high.
Within the same context, Oskanian said that the opposition should focus
the debate on the level of the bar set by the authorities in the talks.
"Today their task must be to clarify what the bar set by the
authorities is," he said. "Our bar was set high. I have many doubts
about today's bar," he added.
"Azerbaijan says whatever it wants. [Minsk Group US Co-Chair Matthew]
Bryza talks about the return of six to seven territories. [Azeri
President Ilham] Aliyev rejects Nagorno-Karabakh's independence and
our leaders are silent. This is the concern," explained Oskanian
saying that the public and the opposition should concern themselves
with this issue.
The most fundamental issue, Oskanian said, is where that bar is
set today.
In discussing the so-called Madrid principles, based on which
the current talks are being guided, Oskanian said that of all the
earlier proposals, those principles were the most favorable for
Armenia, pending the proper course of discussion on the details of
the provisions.
"Whereas in the past we were offered at worst a high degree of
[Karabakh's] autonomy within Azerbaijan and at best horizontal ties
between Azerbaijan and Karabakh within the framework of a common state,
the Madrid principles ... provide for the self-determination of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people, which obviously means Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence or reunification with Armenia," said Oskanian.
"I am convinced that if we let slip this recognition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people's right to self-determination, it will be very
difficult to gain it again in the future and the negotiations could
go in a totally different direction and they could start upholding
[Azerbaijan's] territorial integrity," he said.
He explained the Madrid points were based on four principles: the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh; the return of territories; resettlement
of refugees; and international security guarantees. Oskanian stressed
that any future processes or documents would also be based on the
aforementioned four points, warning that the abandonment of these
points as a basis to any negotiations would bring back other principles
which envisioned Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan with no land route
to Armenia.
"If the Armenian side wants to exclude the issues of return of
territories, return of [Azeri] refugees from future principles and be
guided by the principle of 'not a single inch of land to the enemy,'
which would be a wonderful solution, then Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh
or both of them should pull out of the negotiations," he said. "If
we are to negotiate, these principles will always be on the table."
He emphasized that the key to the success of the talks was the approach
to the finite details of the principles and how well the Armenia side
is able to maneuver the details in the process.
Oskanian also discussed Armenia-Turkey relations and the
so-called "roadmap" agreement, saying "Turkey has gotten from this
Turkish-Armenian process what it wanted. The Armenian side has not
gained anything yet."
Oskanian was unimpressed by President Serzh Sarkisian's recent
announcement that he will not travel to Turkey this October for
the return match of the two countries' national soccer match unless
Ankara takes "real steps" to reopen the Turkish-Armenian border. He
said Sarkisian should have made a more explicit linkage between the
visit and an open border.
"He left the window open," said Oskanian. "I think that's what the
Turks want ... I just don't know when our authorities will finally
realize that the Turkish side is exploiting the process. They should
have realized that a long time ago."
Asbarez
http://www.asbarez.com/2009/08/03/o skanian-says-armenia-must-raise-the-bar-in-karabak h-talks/
Aug 3, 2009
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian urged the
Armenian government to raise the bar in its negotiations around the
Karabakh conflict resolution, saying current policies fundamentally
differ from that of his administration.
Oskanian said that the position of the Kocharian administration,
under which he served as foreign minister, were based on national
interests, arguing that he and his ministry had raised the bar high.
Within the same context, Oskanian said that the opposition should focus
the debate on the level of the bar set by the authorities in the talks.
"Today their task must be to clarify what the bar set by the
authorities is," he said. "Our bar was set high. I have many doubts
about today's bar," he added.
"Azerbaijan says whatever it wants. [Minsk Group US Co-Chair Matthew]
Bryza talks about the return of six to seven territories. [Azeri
President Ilham] Aliyev rejects Nagorno-Karabakh's independence and
our leaders are silent. This is the concern," explained Oskanian
saying that the public and the opposition should concern themselves
with this issue.
The most fundamental issue, Oskanian said, is where that bar is
set today.
In discussing the so-called Madrid principles, based on which
the current talks are being guided, Oskanian said that of all the
earlier proposals, those principles were the most favorable for
Armenia, pending the proper course of discussion on the details of
the provisions.
"Whereas in the past we were offered at worst a high degree of
[Karabakh's] autonomy within Azerbaijan and at best horizontal ties
between Azerbaijan and Karabakh within the framework of a common state,
the Madrid principles ... provide for the self-determination of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people, which obviously means Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence or reunification with Armenia," said Oskanian.
"I am convinced that if we let slip this recognition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people's right to self-determination, it will be very
difficult to gain it again in the future and the negotiations could
go in a totally different direction and they could start upholding
[Azerbaijan's] territorial integrity," he said.
He explained the Madrid points were based on four principles: the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh; the return of territories; resettlement
of refugees; and international security guarantees. Oskanian stressed
that any future processes or documents would also be based on the
aforementioned four points, warning that the abandonment of these
points as a basis to any negotiations would bring back other principles
which envisioned Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan with no land route
to Armenia.
"If the Armenian side wants to exclude the issues of return of
territories, return of [Azeri] refugees from future principles and be
guided by the principle of 'not a single inch of land to the enemy,'
which would be a wonderful solution, then Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh
or both of them should pull out of the negotiations," he said. "If
we are to negotiate, these principles will always be on the table."
He emphasized that the key to the success of the talks was the approach
to the finite details of the principles and how well the Armenia side
is able to maneuver the details in the process.
Oskanian also discussed Armenia-Turkey relations and the
so-called "roadmap" agreement, saying "Turkey has gotten from this
Turkish-Armenian process what it wanted. The Armenian side has not
gained anything yet."
Oskanian was unimpressed by President Serzh Sarkisian's recent
announcement that he will not travel to Turkey this October for
the return match of the two countries' national soccer match unless
Ankara takes "real steps" to reopen the Turkish-Armenian border. He
said Sarkisian should have made a more explicit linkage between the
visit and an open border.
"He left the window open," said Oskanian. "I think that's what the
Turks want ... I just don't know when our authorities will finally
realize that the Turkish side is exploiting the process. They should
have realized that a long time ago."