ARMENIA MUST TAKE HARDER LINE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS
tert.am
25.10.12
Karen Bekaryan, Head of the European Integration NGO, believes that
Armenia should take a harder line in negotiations with Azerbaijan.
At a press conference on Thursday, he presented an analysis of the
latest international developments and the factors that may influence
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
“We can now witness a number of developments in the center of Europe,
which has immediate impact on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process,”
Bekaryan said.
Among the factors are the relations between Great Britain and Scotland,
process of Catalonia’s getting the right to self-determination. “The
states came to realize long ago that such activities must not involve
tanks or military threats,” Bekaryan said.
With respect to the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) by Australia’s New South Wales Parliament, Bekaryan considers
it a significant step, but not a resolution of the problem.
The expert also spoke of the possible agenda of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani FMs’ meeting.
“At their meeting the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen are likely to
raise the issue of a presidential meeting. After the Ramil Safarov
incident, a number of issues are gaining more importance – the
problems of specifying investigation mechanisms, withdrawing snipers,
as well as of racism and xenophobia. The Ramil Safarov incident must
be transformed into a negotiation process,” Bekaryan said.
Armenia has much to say now, and Azerbaijan itself has “served”
the necessary evidence. Armenia can stress the fact of Azerbaijan
promoting a murderer and, in this context, raise the question as to
whether Azerbaijan does not sponsor snipers as well.
“It is natural that the Armenia sides raise the issue of additional
security guarantees for Nagorno-Karabakh, including legal guarantees.
Armenia should take a harder line in the negotiation process,”
Bekaryan said.
“Azerbaijan’s greatest expectation was Armenia’s withdrawal from the
negotiations. That would give Azerbaijan a chance to change the OSCE
Minsk Group format and the negotiation process. But they failed,”
Bekaryan said.
From: A. Papazian