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ICG Offers To Settle The Conflict's Consequences And Not The Conflic

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  • ICG Offers To Settle The Conflict's Consequences And Not The Conflic

    ICG OFFERS TO SETTLE THE CONFLICT'S CONSEQUENCES AND NOT THE CONFLICT ITSELF

    Noyan Tapan
    www.nt.am
    18.02.2011

    (Noyan Tapan - 18.02.2011) Investigating the report of the
    International Crisis Group (ICG) entitled 'Armenia and Azerbaijan:
    preventing war', one automatically comes to the conclusion that it was
    written exclusively for convincing Armenia to 'soften' its positions
    in the negotiation process, in particular, on the issue of the final
    status of Nagorno Karabakh.

    As we know, the positions of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the
    negotiation process are presented today by the Republic of Armenia,
    in the part delegated to it by the NKR. But, all the actors of the
    peacemaking process, as well as the public sector, which is interested
    in the peaceful settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict,
    including the ICG, must consider the fact that the final decision
    should be made by the NKR people and authorities.

    Another matter is the fairness of the report, which is written
    thousands of kilometers from Nagorno Karabakh and the authors of which
    haven't visited the NKR at all, even for the sake of propriety. Let
    alone the fact that recently, Director of the ICG European Program
    Sabina Freiser has settled down in Istanbul, from where, basing on
    the publications in the mass media and often on unreal data, gives
    recommendations to the conflicting parties. But, only one visit to
    the NKR is enough for both comprehending the essence of the conflict
    and making sure of the Republic's efficiency and viability.

    Actually, the ICG offers to settle the conflict's consequences and
    not the conflict itself, which just adds fuel to the fire in the
    conditions of extreme tension between the parties' societies. Sabina
    Freiser, maybe without realizing this, creates a new crisis situation,
    which, in fact, the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem seeks for attempting
    to resolve on the quiet the issue in its own way. It isn't accidental
    that Freiser assigns Ankara the role of the basic regulator in the
    region and a mediator in the Karabakh issue settlement. So, it is time
    to rename the International Crisis Group into Crisis Creation Group.

    Surely, those in Artsakh share the ICG concerns about the possible war
    resumption in any moment, which will lead to unprecedented destructive
    consequences for the entire region. But, similar reports should note
    the specific creators of the emerged explosive situation. The tension
    on the contact-line is the result of Azerbaijan's purposeful policy for
    the recent years. In the conditions of the increasing militant rhetoric
    and moods in Azerbaijan, the soft position of the mediators and foreign
    states' representatives is strange, while they had to flatly condemn
    President Aliev long ago, calling upon him to refuse of the policy of
    threats and to negotiate with the basic party to the conflict - the
    Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Unfortunately, the ICG proposals cannot
    resolve principle conflicts. The tactics of small concessions in
    favor of the aggressive party will only whet its appetite.

    War should be opposed by the NKR recognition and not by signing a
    frame agreement or other half measures. Speeding up the signing of an
    agreement on the basic principles, without the detailed elaboration
    of all its key provisions, will become 'a delayed action mine' under
    the entire peace process.

    In the current situation, the soonest realization of
    confidence-building measures, both military and civic, is needed. The
    international community should establish direct relations with Nagorno
    Karabakh. The NKR integration into the international processes is
    about the only tool in the international community's arsenal for
    resisting the situation's running into a new war. The international
    community's ignoring of the NKR in favor of Azerbaijan only strengthens
    the latter's confidence of its own right to new aggression.

    The international community should not repeat its mistake made in early
    1990s, when the recognition of Azerbaijan's right to self-determination
    and rejection of Nagorno Karabakh's similar right were accepted by
    Azerbaijan as a carte blanche for realizing wide-scale aggression
    against the NKR and suppressing its people's will. Isn't it time to
    learn a lesson from the past?

    NKR MFA PRESS SERVICE




    From: A. Papazian
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