AZERBAIJAN’S ILLUSIONS MUST BE DISPELLED

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 10:21:51 – 07/06/2012

The ex-foreign minister, Member of Parliament Vartan Oskanian
posted his thoughts on the recent violations of the ceasefire on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border on his Facebook wall.

“The recent incidents on the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact
are worrying. It is more worrying that they happen when the Secretary
of the United States, the mediator country to Karabakh issue, is in
the region.

Generally, since 1994 two things have helped maintain the ceasefire:
a) the realistic prospects of settlement of the issue through
negotiations, b) military balance on both sides of the line of contact.

Border incidents have were especially more frequent in the periods
when either the prospect of a settlement by way of negotiations was
vague or when the rival thought to have advantage in some parts of
the line of contact.

The main concern today is, on the one hand, that Azerbaijan is losing
its faith in the possibility of peace settlement of the issue by
way of setting forth unrealistic maximalist demands, on the other
hand, in the result of militaristic statements and huge expenses on
armament it starts believing in its own military advantage. In fact,
the danger is in the combination of these two.

The Armenian side must give an appropriate answer, both in the
diplomatic and military aspects, not to allow Azerbaijan to fall
into illusions.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress