OPEN COMMUNICATIONS WITHOUT SETTLEMENT?
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 12:40:11 – 04/04/2012
At least one new trend has emerged in the Karabakh issue settlement –
Hillary Clinton’s and Ahmed Davutoglu’s intention to hold a meeting
between Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev.
Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan, when asked about this
at the press conference with his Cyprian counterpart, said the U.S.
plays a constructive role in the negotiations on Karabakh and there
can be no word on Turkey’s mediation.
Armenia’s position is clear. Is the U.S. really going to involve
Turkey into the Karabakh issue settlement? According to the Turkish
press, Hillary Clinton, who arrived in Turkey, preferred avoiding
the Armenian issue. But maybe, based precisely on such a meeting,
the Turkish press stated that if Russia and the United States persuade
Armenia, Turkey will talk to Azerbaijan.
Why do we need such a meeting?
Perhaps, the U.S. is trying to catch up the initiative of the Karabakh
issue with the help of Turkey and make an unexpected step: the American
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke said that the parties
are closer to the settlement than they think. This means that some
scenario is being set up which is not openly discussed.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule made an interesting
statement in this connection in Baku. He said that the EU does not
propose settlement but only preparation of peoples to peace and
building of trust measures. So, we should understand that the EU
proposes open communications without final settlement.
Azerbaijan supports such “settlement” – the Head of the Azerbaijan’s
foreign agency said that he agrees with the so-called pre-settlement.
True, he noted at the same time, that Armenia should withdraw troops
from the “occupied” areas.
But the point is that the essence of the Karabakh issue is these
regions. If they are surrendered, the settlement will have no meaning
for Armenians since it will be equal to capitulation and suicide. The
Western leaders will hardly fail to understand this and they hardly
hope that the Armenians will commit massive suicide. So, they try
to persuade Azerbaijan to agree with the opening of communications
under the current status quo.
But, Baku and Ankara are trying to seize the maximum possible benefit.
They want to do all through Russia: Russian foreign minister Sergey
Lavrov said in Yerevan and Baku that Russia will support such
settlement when “after the return of some regions and opening of a
corridor, the status quo will be set up. Though, perhaps, Lavrov said
this to keep the Armenian party far from concessions.
These attempts will hardly come true just like the efforts to replace
France with the European Union in the OSCE Minsk Group. Fule said in
Baku that the European Union is not going to substitute France.
The Armenian party needs to insist on its positions and not yield.
Because if Armenia keeps its positions firm, the world powers,
interested in the opening of communications, will find a way to
pressure Azerbaijan. If not, we don’t lose anything and remain as
it is.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress