Tweet
ACHIEVING PEACE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH: EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT SECRETARY- GENERAL
ARMENPRESS
28 August, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS: Diogo Pinto secretary-general
of the European Movement International in Brussels dwelled on
Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and existing tension in EurActiv news
portal. "The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has an enormous
impact on both countries economically, socially, as well as on the
quality of democracy and the respect for individual and collective
freedoms. It is also shocking how little one side knows about the
other, and how much of the dispute is based on propaganda-induced
prejudices "writes Diogo Pinto,Armenpress reports citing portal. "The
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is normally
referred to as a "frozen" conflict, and that seems to lead to
complacency citizens and the European institutions alike. However,
as the war in Georgia clearly demonstrated, frozen does not mean safe.
Apart from the violations of the cease-fire that very often end with
deaths on both sides of the line of contact, this conflict has a huge
impact in the economic, political and social situations in the two
countries, and is hampering what could be a harmonious development and
a successful regional integration process, as well as a progressive
"Europeanisation" of the entire region, which has been defined as
vital for the European interests.I recently chaired a meeting that
brought together representatives of the European Movement of the three
countries in the Southern Caucasus region - Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia - which aimed at starting a direct dialogue between the two
sides.The meeting took place in Tbilisi, as Georgia is seen as neutral
ground and the only country with good relations with both neighbours,
making it easily accessible to citizens from both sides.Additionally,
Georgia is itself home to more than 280,000 Azerbaijanis and almost
250,000 Armenians, who represent, together, more than 12% of the
country's population. Last but not least, Georgia has its own frozen
conflicts and bears witness to the fact that unresolved conflicts carry
the danger of escalation and violence.After the initial tension was
overcome, two aspects emerged as the most striking. On one hand, the
tremendous impact that the conflict has on both Armenia and Azerbaijan,
be it economic (in Armenia more than in Azerbaijan) or social (more in
Azerbaijan than in Armenia), as well as on the quality of democracy and
the respect for individual and collective freedoms.On the other hand,
it was almost shocking how little one side knows about the other,
and how much of it is based on propaganda-induced prejudices.One of
the outcomes of this meeting was that it would not be the last. It
was decided to pursue the dialogue, with the next meeting taking place
in November, this time in Baku.Another outcome was that projects will
be jointly developed and implemented by the national chapters of the
European Movement in the South Caucasus region.We are well aware of
the complexity of the situation and know that good will alone isn't
enough. We also understand our limitations as simple civil society
actors, and thus understand that the resolution of the conflict
isn't in our hands only.But we also realise that, when it comes to
building peace and good neighbourly relations, we owe a great deal
to the European Movement's history and the bold ideas put forward
by our founders in 1948's Congress of The Hague.The organisations of
the European Movement in Armenia and Azerbaijan have been working for
several years to promote the European integration of their respective
countries. In doing so, they interact often with the citizens and
the institutions, other civil society actors and even with economic
agents.Standing on this privileged central spot, they are terribly
aware of the harm and of the limitations the prevalence of the conflict
imposes upon the European aspirations of both populations. They regard
it as their responsibility to raise this awareness among their members
and partners, and hope to turn it into an energy source capable of
fuelling the peaceful resolution of the conflict.Initiatives such as
this one deserve to be supported by the European Union. The EU has a
lot to gain from increasing its efforts and commitments towards the
peaceful resolution of the conflict, by getting more decisively and
more visibly behind the civil society actors from the region who are
willing to work for change.The peaceful resolution of the conflict
would not only be positive for the countries involved; peace and
stability in the South Caucasus region would have immensely positive
repercussions for the Black Sea area in general, with spill-over
effects in Moldova, Ukraine and maybe reaching as far as Russia.It
would ease the relations between Armenia and Turkey, and between
Azerbaijan and Iran, which could only benefit the European Union
and its Foreign Affairs and Security Policy's interests.The end of
the conflict, with a peaceful, EU-mediated solution, accepted by all
interested parties, would not only bring much deserved opportunities
of economic and social development for the peoples of the region,
but would also assert the EU's core values of democracy and human
rights as their main reference, and the EU itself as its preferential
strategic partner."
From: A. Papazian
ARMENPRESS
28 August, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS: Diogo Pinto secretary-general
of the European Movement International in Brussels dwelled on
Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and existing tension in EurActiv news
portal. "The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has an enormous
impact on both countries economically, socially, as well as on the
quality of democracy and the respect for individual and collective
freedoms. It is also shocking how little one side knows about the
other, and how much of the dispute is based on propaganda-induced
prejudices "writes Diogo Pinto,Armenpress reports citing portal. "The
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is normally
referred to as a "frozen" conflict, and that seems to lead to
complacency citizens and the European institutions alike. However,
as the war in Georgia clearly demonstrated, frozen does not mean safe.
Apart from the violations of the cease-fire that very often end with
deaths on both sides of the line of contact, this conflict has a huge
impact in the economic, political and social situations in the two
countries, and is hampering what could be a harmonious development and
a successful regional integration process, as well as a progressive
"Europeanisation" of the entire region, which has been defined as
vital for the European interests.I recently chaired a meeting that
brought together representatives of the European Movement of the three
countries in the Southern Caucasus region - Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia - which aimed at starting a direct dialogue between the two
sides.The meeting took place in Tbilisi, as Georgia is seen as neutral
ground and the only country with good relations with both neighbours,
making it easily accessible to citizens from both sides.Additionally,
Georgia is itself home to more than 280,000 Azerbaijanis and almost
250,000 Armenians, who represent, together, more than 12% of the
country's population. Last but not least, Georgia has its own frozen
conflicts and bears witness to the fact that unresolved conflicts carry
the danger of escalation and violence.After the initial tension was
overcome, two aspects emerged as the most striking. On one hand, the
tremendous impact that the conflict has on both Armenia and Azerbaijan,
be it economic (in Armenia more than in Azerbaijan) or social (more in
Azerbaijan than in Armenia), as well as on the quality of democracy and
the respect for individual and collective freedoms.On the other hand,
it was almost shocking how little one side knows about the other,
and how much of it is based on propaganda-induced prejudices.One of
the outcomes of this meeting was that it would not be the last. It
was decided to pursue the dialogue, with the next meeting taking place
in November, this time in Baku.Another outcome was that projects will
be jointly developed and implemented by the national chapters of the
European Movement in the South Caucasus region.We are well aware of
the complexity of the situation and know that good will alone isn't
enough. We also understand our limitations as simple civil society
actors, and thus understand that the resolution of the conflict
isn't in our hands only.But we also realise that, when it comes to
building peace and good neighbourly relations, we owe a great deal
to the European Movement's history and the bold ideas put forward
by our founders in 1948's Congress of The Hague.The organisations of
the European Movement in Armenia and Azerbaijan have been working for
several years to promote the European integration of their respective
countries. In doing so, they interact often with the citizens and
the institutions, other civil society actors and even with economic
agents.Standing on this privileged central spot, they are terribly
aware of the harm and of the limitations the prevalence of the conflict
imposes upon the European aspirations of both populations. They regard
it as their responsibility to raise this awareness among their members
and partners, and hope to turn it into an energy source capable of
fuelling the peaceful resolution of the conflict.Initiatives such as
this one deserve to be supported by the European Union. The EU has a
lot to gain from increasing its efforts and commitments towards the
peaceful resolution of the conflict, by getting more decisively and
more visibly behind the civil society actors from the region who are
willing to work for change.The peaceful resolution of the conflict
would not only be positive for the countries involved; peace and
stability in the South Caucasus region would have immensely positive
repercussions for the Black Sea area in general, with spill-over
effects in Moldova, Ukraine and maybe reaching as far as Russia.It
would ease the relations between Armenia and Turkey, and between
Azerbaijan and Iran, which could only benefit the European Union
and its Foreign Affairs and Security Policy's interests.The end of
the conflict, with a peaceful, EU-mediated solution, accepted by all
interested parties, would not only bring much deserved opportunities
of economic and social development for the peoples of the region,
but would also assert the EU's core values of democracy and human
rights as their main reference, and the EU itself as its preferential
strategic partner."
From: A. Papazian