AZERBAIJAN PROCLAIMS 2004 YEAR OF KARABAKH AND REITERATES ITS
READINESS TO SETTLE KARABAKH PROBLEM BY FORCE
STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 11. ARMINFO. Azerbaijan has proclaimed 2004 “the
year of Karabakh” and has reiterated through its president Ilham Aliev
its readiness if need be to settle the Karabakh problem by force, says
Karabakh analyst David Babayan.
They in Azerbaijan have been actively alleging lately that Armenia has
agreed to the phased settlement scenario. Nagorny Karabakh could not
help reacting. The settlement process has been standing still for
over 10 years already mostly because the parties to it differ
drastically in their approaches to the settlement. Nagorny Karabakh
advocates package scenario – at once and on all the issues – while
Azerbaijan insists on phased one – return of the territories
controlled by Nagorny Karabakh and constituting security belt for
it. Only then will Baku agree to negotiate on Nagorny Karabakh’s
status.
In any case only complex approach should be applied here – package
scenario implemented in phases. This implies comprehensive settlement
with all the aspects agreed on these including the status, the
territories, refugees, security… to be implemented stage by stage on
mutually acceptable terms. This is the only way of conflict
settlement. That’s exactly how the Dayton Peace Accords on Bosnia were
reached or the UN project on Cyprus was drafted.
Meanwhile Baku keeps insisting exclusively on the return of
territories and refugees implying only Azeri territories and refugees
forgetting that the area of the Nagorny Karabakh territories
controlled by Azerbaijan and the number of Armenian refugees having
left their homes are much bigger than the Azeri territories
constituting the security belt of Nagorny Karabakh.
Baku’s position is in fact an attempt to eliminate negative
consequences without eliminating their causes. This is impossible
especially as this approach is changing the whole military-political
situation in the conflict zone which is tempting Azerbaijan to settle
the problem by force. This rather than the settlement scenarios
controversy is the key reason for Azerbaijan’s non constructive
position on the Karabakh conflict settlement, says Babayan.