IS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANTING MINES IN THE CAUCASUS?
Lragir.am
14:33:50 – 10/11/2008
By trying to resolve the Karabakh issue on the basis of the existing
proposal, the international community plants mines in the Caucasus
which may explode any time the international community wants, said the
ex-deputy minister of defense Vahan Shirkhanyan, now a member of the
Social Democratic Hnchak Party, who was hosted at the Iravunk de facto
press club on November 10 to speak about the process of settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. Vahan Shirkhanyan spoke against the principles
of Madrid. According to him, it is not quite clear what compromise
is meant, land for land, road for road or money for money. In this
connection, Vahan Shirkhanyan said the talk about peacekeepers is also
unacceptable. According to him, the peacekeepers are going to represent
different countries, and each will pursue the interests of their
country at the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
forces. Vahan Shirkhanyan also said in 1998 the issue of peacekeepers
was discussed, most of whom were to be Turkish troops. According to
Shirkhanyan, this option is still under consideration.
Vahan Shirkhanyan thinks that if the resolution is based on the
current proposal, there will be a war which will be more severe than
the first one.
The ex-deputy minister of defense says the international community
will not be satisfied, and will turn the Caucasus into a region of
permanent conflicts like the Arab-Israeli region, which would be in
the interests of the great powers.
In this connection, Vahan Shirkhanyan thinks that the people and
government of Karabakh should spell out their stance on the existing
proposal on settlement distinctly. At the same time, Vahan Shirkhanyan
is convinced that the people of Armenia and Karabakh will not allow
the Armenian government which is now up for approval of the current
proposal to sign any agreement based on this proposal.