Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

BAKU: EU Envoy: Yerevan To Realize Keeping Karabakh Status Quo Impos

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • BAKU: EU Envoy: Yerevan To Realize Keeping Karabakh Status Quo Impos

    EU ENVOY YEREVAN TO REALIZE KEEPING GARABAGH STATUS QUO IMPOSSIBLE

    AssA-Irada
    November 2, 2009 Monday
    Azerbaijan

    A European Union official has expressed confidence that the Armenian
    leadership will realize that maintaining the status quo in the
    Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict forever is
    impossible. Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative for the
    South Caucasus, made the statement in an interview with Russian daily
    newspaper Vremya Novostey during a visit to Russia. Semneby said,
    further, that Azerbaijan and Armenia have significantly advanced in
    discussing the mechanisms of the conflict settlement. Many issues
    have yet to be agreed regarding details.

    But I am confident that, if a favorable environment emerges, they can
    move forward further, the EU envoy concluded. Azerbaijan and Armenia
    fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in
    1994, but Armenia continues to occupy part of Azerbaijani territory
    in defiance of international law. The OSCE-brokered peace talks have
    not yet resulted in a solution of the conflict. Semneby said he could
    not give a specific answer as to which concessions can be made by Baku
    and Yerevan. Everything is clearly indicated in the Madrid principles.

    Certainly, the most complicated problems are hidden in the details,
    but the Madrid document reflects a decision on mutual concessions,
    while the most complex issues, including the determination of Upper
    Garabaghs status, are postponed indefinitely. The OSCE Minsk Group
    co-chairs brokering the peace process submitted a set of basic
    principles for the conflict settlement to the sides in November 2007.

    The peace outline calls for "the return of the territories surrounding
    Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control. It also covered "a corridor
    linking Armenia to Upper Garabagh", as well as a future determination
    of the final legal status of Upper Garabagh "through a legally binding
    expression of will" and the right of "internally displaced persons and
    refugees to return to their former places of residence." Baku says the
    occupied districts must be freed and Azerbaijani refugees displaced
    during the armed conflict in the early 1990s returned home, and only
    after that could the status of Upper Garabagh be determined within
    the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Regarding the normalization
    of Armenia-Turkey relations, Semneby said the reconciliation process
    opens up new opportunities for Garabagh conflict settlement. This
    process fosters a positive dynamic, said the EU envoy. Nonetheless,
    Semneby believes it is wrong to link the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement
    with Garabagh settlement. According to him, these are two separate
    conflicts and linking them could again close the doors opening up
    for mending ties. At the same time, it is clearly seen that tangible
    tension in one of these conflicts immediately affects the overall
    environment. It should be ensured that these processes positively
    affect one another. Turkey and Armenia face decades of enmity due to
    Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territory and genocide claims. In
    a bid to normalize ties, the two governments signed protocols to
    establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders on October
    10. However, the documents require ratification in both countries
    parliaments, and Ankara has made clear that it could normalize
    ties with Yerevan only after the Garabagh conflict has been fairly
    settled. Semneby said parliamentary approval of the Armenian-Turkish
    protocols cannot be guaranteed but added he is confident that this will
    happen. The EU official believes that ratification of the documents
    meets the interests of both countries.

    This is an issue of vital importance for Armenia. Turkey did not
    start the process due to its well-wishing attitude, it meats its
    interests, as well. This step is one of the first examples of Turkeys
    new policy toward neighboring states. Certainly, taking into account
    Azerbaijans interests and how Azerbaijanis will react to this is
    important for Turkey. But, sooner or later, this process will end
    in a way that complies with Turkish interests. Semneby said being in
    conflict with Armenia restricts Ankaras potential clout in the South
    Caucasus region. Normalizing relations with Yerevan will open up new
    opportunities, strengthen security in the volatile region and improve
    economic relations, he added.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X