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BAKU: Iran's Offer To Mediate On Karabakh A PR Move - Analyst

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  • BAKU: Iran's Offer To Mediate On Karabakh A PR Move - Analyst

    IRAN'S OFFER TO MEDIATE ON KARABAKH A PR MOVE - ANALYST
    Leyla Tagiyeva

    news.az
    March 1 2010
    Azerbaijan

    Leyla Aliyeva News.Az interviews Azerbaijani political scientist
    Leyla Aliyeva.

    The Iranian ambassador in Azerbaijan has said that his country is
    ready to help the Karabakh settlement. How would you comment on this?

    The interest is caused not by the Iranian initiative to participate
    in the settlement process, as its purpose in this case is clear. By
    doing so, Iran is trying to soften the position of the world community
    against itself. Tensions and concerns over Iran's nuclear program are
    increasing on the world stage. Russia has already voiced its concern.

    Meanwhile, by proposing itself as a peacekeeper in the Karabakh
    conflict, Iran is attempting to find opportunities to play a positive
    role, that is, to play a peacekeeping role. The main interest is
    caused by the fact that our president has been positive about this
    initiative. Iran has already been a mediator on Karabakh, but its
    mission was not successful. Since then, Tehran has repeatedly proposed
    its services as a mediator on the Karabakh conflict, but Iran is
    always perceived by the Azerbaijani side as a state sympathizing
    more with Armenia than Azerbaijan. Baku has always had doubts about
    Iran's mediation. Meanwhile, I think Azerbaijan's current agreement
    on Iranian mediation is an attempt to manoeuvre by our state.

    Does Iran have potential as a mediator on Karabakh?

    Any regional state is involved in this conflict anyway. Each of them
    takes sides and can offer mediation However, everything depends on
    how effective their efforts are. I think there must be a balance
    of power that would promote the conflict settlement rather than a
    separate power which has proposed its services. All countries in the
    region have their interests, so none of them can be considered an
    ideal mediator, including Iran.

    What can Iran propose as a mediator that has not been proposed by
    the Minsk Group co-chairs in the past 18 years?

    I think the resolution of our conflict does not depend on the
    mediator. The mediator does not play any role here, so it does not
    matter who offers their services.

    How can the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that have strained relations
    with Iran treat this initiative from Tehran, especially since
    Azerbaijan has agreed to Iranian mediation?

    The co-chairs can merely ignore it, because Iranian mediation cannot go
    beyond words. Certainly, Azerbaijan may join any other format. It may
    try to use its agreement to Iranian mediation as a means of pressure
    on the United States. On the other hand, I do not think that anyone
    seriously thinks Iran's efforts will be effective.

    The Minsk Group has not found a Karabakh settlement in 18 years,
    while Iran thinks the problem can be settled only with the direct
    participation of regional states. Do you share this view?

    The Minsk Group co-chairs can easily settle the conflict if they want.

    But what if they do not want to? The same refers to the regional
    superpowers that may not be interested in the conflict settlement
    either. As for Iran, if it offers its mediation services, probably,
    at the current stage it is interested in the settlement. But I think
    the peace process on Karabakh is not a priority for Iran. It is rather
    interested in the processes around its nuclear program. In particular,
    Iran wants to soften the alliance that may speak against it. This is
    the alliance of the United States and Israel which may also include
    Azerbaijan.
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