Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA : SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVED THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK MR. XIAOYU ZHAO

4-Traders

July 18 2012

Serzh Sargsyan received the Vice-President of the Asian Development
Bank Mr. Xiaoyu Zhao

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Vice-President of the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) Mr. Xiaoyu Zhao and his delegation.

The President of Armenia hailed activities of the ADB in Armenia as
well as in the entire Asian region. Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that
Mr. Zhao’s visit to Armenia will enhance the fruitful cooperation of
the Bank with Armenia, aimed at the sustainable development of our
country and expansion of infrastructure.

Xiaoyu Zhao assured the President of Armenia that the ADB will continue
its work in Armenia with the same diligence and will remain true to
its commitment. He noted that joint work is currently underway for
the construction of the North-South highway which will be financed
by the international community. According to the interlocutors, the
implementation of this program, which is critical for the Armenian
economy, will greatly enhance also development of other areas.

The parties stressed the importance of the implementation with the
Bank’s assistance of the investment programs in such prospective areas
as information technologies, tourism, agriculture, mining, chemical
industry and other areas identified by the Armenian Government as the
priority areas which will also be included on the strategic program
of cooperation to be adopted by the Government of Armenia and the
Asian Development

From: Baghdasarian

ENVIRONMENTALISTS DEMAND DISMANTLING ILLEGAL BUILDING IN KHOSROV NATIONAL RESERVE

arminfo
Thursday, July 19, 00:38

The two-storied building illegally constructed in Gilan, Khosrov
National Reserve, must be dismantled, Head of the Center for Bird
Lovers NGO Silva Adamyan said in an interview with ArmInfo. Adamyan
said that the special task force is considering three scenarios:
dismantling the building, leaving it untouched or giving it to
some research organizations, while the owner of the building claims
compensation. “Deputy Environment Protection Minister Simon Papyan
has told us that the problem has not yet been solved. Our position is
that the building must be pulled down,” Adamyan said. The Environment
Protection Ministry says that the building is meant as a visit center,
while the greens insists that it will be a restaurant. The first
report about the construction was received in 2008, while the decision
to stop the project was passed in 2010. In a letter in Aug 2011 the
greens urged Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan to dismantle the building.

From: Baghdasarian

WASHINGTON POST, USA TODAY, BOSTON GLOBE PRAISE ‘THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS’

Asbarez
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

The Sandcastle Girls

WASHINGTON-Praise for New York Times best-selling author Chris
Bohjalian’s latest epic, “The Sandcastle Girls,” continued, with The
Washington Post and USA Today and Boston Globe publishing powerful
reviews spotlighting the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s ongoing denial
of this crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“Today’s reviews confirm the brilliance of Bohjalian’s masterful
literary presentation of the Armenian Genocide, and underscore
the vital role that he is playing in educating readers about this
crime, highlighting the ongoing human costs of Turkey’s denials, and
galvanizing a growing movement to end forever the cycle of genocide,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Bohjalian’s story truly
speaks to our hearts and our hopes. Let’s do all we can to make sure
that its impact is felt as widely as possible – among citizens and
Senators alike.”

Eugenia Zuckerman, in her review for The Washington Post, cites the
very real impact that the Armenian Genocide, and Turkey’s denial,
has on international relations today, and the role of books, like
‘The Sandcastle Girls’, in highlighting the truth about this crime.

“In some circles, controversy over the nature of this crime still
rages. Just this month, relations between France and Turkey were tested
again by President Francois Hollande’s commitment to making it illegal
to deny that the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks was genocide,”
noted Zuckerman. “Bohjalian’s ‘The Sandcastle Girls’ may be a novel,
but, based on his family history, it is a valuable and powerful piece
of evidence pointing to the undeniable.”

The complete Washington Post review is available online at and was
published in the Tuesday, July 17th issue of the print edition.

Carol Memmott of USA Today wrote, “There is much heartbreak,
devastation and evil in ‘The Sandcastle Girls,’ and it’s exacerbated
by the denial by Turkey, even to this day, that the Armenians were
the victims of genocide. And Bohjalian makes a near-century-old
event come to life in a way that will make readers gasp with shock
that such a terrible event – Turkey’s determination to kill all the
Armenians in their country – is such a small part of our knowledge
of world history.”

The complete USA Today review is available online at and will be
published in the Tuesday, July 17th issue of the print edition.

Reviewing the book for the Boston Globe, Julie Wittes Schlack writes,
“Bohjalian succeeds in depicting the horror, without sentimentalizing
it, using photographs as one of the book’s major plot devices.”

The complete Boston Globe Review review is available online at and
was published in the Tuesday, July 17th issue of the print edition.

Last week, the July 23rd issue of People Magazine hit news-stands,
spotlighting “The Sandcastle Girls” in its “Great Reads – New in
Fiction” section and describing it as “an affecting tale set at the
time of a lesser-known Holocaust, 1915’s Armenian Genocide.”

Entertainment Weekly (EW) included the novel on their summer must-read
list. “Bohjalian (Midwives)-the grandson of Armenian survivors-pours
passion, pride, and sadness into his tale of ethnic destruction and
endurance,” noted EW’s Lisa Schwarzbaum.

These follow powerhouse literary reviews from Publisher’s Weekly,
Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal and Booklist – collectively offering
exceptional praise for both the author and the book. Read an exclusive
excerpt.

On Monday, The Sandcastle Girls took center stage with a special
Southern California kick-off luncheon with the author at the Universal
Sheraton Hotel, hosted by the ANC-Grassroots Film and the Arts
Committee, the Genocide Education Project, and Doubleday Books,
followed by an evening presentation held at Woodbury University
Fletcher Jones Auditorium.

Bohjalian will then be traveling to events in San Francisco, CA;
Watertown, MA; Warwick, RI; New Milford, NJ and Washington, DC
where his Capitol Hill debut is co-hosted by Congressional Armenian
Genocide Resolution lead sponsors, Representatives Robert Dold (R-IL)
and Adam Schiff (D-CA). Bohjalian will be meeting with Members of
Congress throughout the day on August 1st and then offering remarks
and signing books beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Rayburn House Office
Building, Room B-369.

The complete roster of events across the country is available online.

In his 15th book, “The Sandcastle Girls,” Bohjalian brings us on
a very different kind of journey. The spellbinding tale travels
between Aleppo, Syria in 1915 and Bronxville, New York in 2012 –
a sweeping historical love story steeped in the author’s Armenian
heritage, making it his most personal novel to date. The novel is
set to hit book stores on Tuesday, July 17th.

Armenian Americans and interested readers are encouraged to pre-order
‘The Sandcastle Girls’ online at discounted prices from Amazon.com,
Barnes and Noble and Indibound or from their local book sellers.

To join the ANCA in helping put “The Sandcastle Girls” on the
Congressional summer reading list through a contribution to the ANCA
Endowment donate-a-book program.

From: Baghdasarian

A MAJOR EVENT IN ARMENIA’S CULTURAL LIFE, THE GOLDEN APRICOT YEREVAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IS TAKING PLACE IN THE FIRST HALF OF JULY IN YEREVAN.
Sona Khachatryan

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 18, 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net – Yerevan citizens and tourists arriving in Armenia
witness international film celebrities and festival participants in
Abovyan street. Festival founding director Harutyun Khachatryan is the
most noticeable figure, of course; with his white suit and hat on,
he feels right at home these days. Another permanent guest of the
festival, film director Roman Balayan is not much keen on Yerevan
summer heat.

In 2012, the Golden Apricot took place on July 8-15, comprising
unprecedented 1120 applicants from 70 countries worldwide.

This festival featured its traditional competition and non-competition
programs, the Tribute and Retrospective screenings.

Frunze Dovlatyan-85, Andrei Tarkovsky-80, Yuri Yerznkyan-90
anniversaries were celebrated; a new “Book and Cinema” program was
presented.

“Let there be light” award was established by the Armenian Apostolic
church; Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II granted
the first award to renowned Russian film director Alexander Sokurov.

Competition program was quite diverse this year. Interestingly enough,
some documentary directors presented foreign countries rather than
their motherland in their films. Petr Lom from Czech Republic tells
the story of the revolution in Egypt, while Serbian Goran Radovanovic
finds inspiration in Cuba people’s hard life, and Fidel Castro. South
Korea sent only one representative to the festival. A South American
participant, Jose Luis Torres Leiva from Chile submitted his amateur
filming of summertime in his native countryside. His film got a Jury
Special Prize.

On the whole, the international competition program 2012 was notable
for psychological drama movies, with discrepant public opinions. The
most notorious one was Russian Vassili Sigarev’s “Living”. Some dubbed
it as a masterpiece, others named Sigarev a trouble-maker.

Sigarev takes the reaction calmly saying the judgement depends on a
person’s state of mind. Optimists strive to live, while the unhappy
ones seek the contrary.

“The Minister”, a film with a political context, disliked by the
administration of the ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy and
praised by current leader Francois Hollande was among the festival
participants.

As to Armenian Panorama program, its feature part comprised greater
number of participants from Armenia (over the past years, feature
films included mostly Diaspora Armenians or foreigners).

The documentary part, as usual, was mostly devoted to the subject
of the Armenian Genocide presented by local and Diaspora Armenian
directors. For instance, Suzanne Khardalian presented tattoos of
Armenian women during the Genocide, Eric Nazarian and Nigol Bezjian
sought traces of their ancestry in Istanbul; Eric V. Hachikian went
to Amasia, the native town of his grandmother, and Armen Gasparyan
told the story of generations that fled the massacre, in particular,
a woman now living in Armenia.

“In the Fog”, directed by Sergei Loznitsa (Belarus) was awarded Golden
Apricot as Best Feature Film. “Five Broken Cameras” by Emad Burnat
from Palestine was named Best Documentary Film.

“Armenian Rhapsody” by Brazil’s Cesar Gananian got Best Armenian
Documentary of the Armenian Panorama. In Best Armenian Fiction Film
category, Natalia Belauskene’s “If Only Everyone” got Golden Apricot,
while “Nana” by Valerie Massadian, France was awarded a Special Prize –
Silver Apricot.

2012 Golden Apricot festival did not attract famous guests; instead,
it presented various programs.

Next year will mark 10th anniversary of the Festival. It would be
good to see some issues settled then (e.g. those organizing master
classes consider wishes of the participants, or films are shown in
a better quality), and our favourite Golden Apricot become even more
impressive and showy.

From: Baghdasarian

DO YOU WANT ME TO HAVE THE FATE OF VAHE AVETYAN?

04:33 pm | Today | Politics

“Do you want me to have the fate of Vahe Avetyan? It is no use
disputing with oligarchs in Armenia,” Hmayak Hovhannisyan, Chairman
of the Political Scientists Union of Armenia, said while answering
a question about his decision to renounce a deputy mandate.

Asked why he was included in the party list of the NHK if he was not
to appear in the legislative body, Mr. Hovhannisyan said, “My name
was used as a decoy, but I consider it indecent and immoral.”

Anyway, Mr. Hovhannisyan has not given up the idea of entering the
National Assembly. He is going to run in the elections scheduled for
the autumn.

“I am a favorite. I will fight against my own weaknesses,” he said.

Hovhannisyan stressed that according to an agreement reached before the
May 6 parliamentary elections he was involved on the BHK party-list as
an independent candidate, in parliament he was to head the Commission
on Human Rights.

Today, he has realized that he does not need the support of any force.

Hovhannisyan is particularly offended by the forces involved in
the joint inter-party headquarters tasked to monitor the May 6
parliamentary elections.

“Levon, Oskanyan came and settled their affairs. Nothing is more
monstrous than an ungrateful person,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

YOUTH; THE DESTINY OF ARTSAKH

The Youth of any country is its lifeblood, none more so than in
Artsakh.

I remember when I first arrived in Shushi a few years ago, and I
walked around the streets with my Armenian friend, just talking to
each other, camera over my shoulder. There were a number of youths
sitting by the mosque shouting over to us; my initial impression
from my experience in the UK was that they were being troublesome. We
walked closer, and my friend entered into dialogue with them, I was
anxious but everything seemed ok, but I wasn’t sure. When we left,
I asked her what they wanted, and she replied ” They just wanted to
know if they could help”. That simple anecdote started my journey of
realising that the youth of Artsakh were perhaps different to what
I had experienced before.

During that first visit it was with great sadness that I walked round
the shell of the old University in Shushi. One could imagine the noises
from many years ago as the rooms and corridors would have bustled with
the activities of the students. In contrast, I had the privilege,
recently, to visit the Artsakh State University in Stepanakert ,
an impressive establishment, with an interesting history and to see
how the government was investing in the education of the students. I
read, on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary celebrations in 2009
a quote from the President, Bako Sahakian, “The University serves as
one of Karabakh’s key educational establishments. The college is at
the forefront of educating and preparing younger generations, laying
the groundwork for a healthy and civil society and democracy”. I
was surprised and pleased to find out during my meeting with the
Rector, Stepan Dadayn, that despite Artsakh’s unrecognised status, the
qualifications from the University were recognised, internationally,
under the Bologna agreement, and so the students were able to
participate with other establishments beyond the borders of Artsakh,
and Armenia. (This seems like a small slither of recognition by the
international community that Artsakh has an independent identity). It
was only during my interviews with the Rector, and a number of the
senior Heads within the University, including Arzik Mkhitaryan,
Rudolf Israelyan, Gagik Baghunts, and Valery Avanesyan that it
became clear how much of a link there is between the people who were
actively involved in the original independence initiatives in 1988,
as well as the subsequent liberation struggle, and the education and
development of the young people of Artsakh. This connection is a key
part of nurturing the national identity, and preserving the strong
sense of purpose that they acted on 25 years ago.

In the UK, Youth affairs is left to charities and non-Governmental
organisations , with there being little by way of central policy
on this level of issue except in so far as it directly relates to
education. I was interested to discover that Artsakh has a Ministry
of Culture and Youth Affairs, and the fact that the two are linked
is pertinent to how the government views the relevance of promoting
youth development. One of the Ministry’s objectives sums this up
“ensuring favourable conditions and possibilities for physical, mental
and professional spiritual development of the coming generation”. This
is a unique and important objective for Artsakh.

The Artsakh Youth Development Center, formed recently by Susanna
Petrossian, which builds on the governmental aims, also provides an
opportunity for the youth to be involved in broader aims – “enhancing
the role of the youth in building civil society” , “building bridges
to the rest of the world”, “peace building” and “professional human
development”. Events over the recent weeks have included hosting a
group of French students, IT training, a representation to the BarCamp
in Yerevan, Pilgrimage to Spitakavor, as well as receiving Lady
Cox at her last visit in May. It will undoubtedly go from strength
to strength as it establishes itself, locally, and through social
networking, and blogging which in turn will provide the group with
a much broader, international, and relevant voice.

The event which brought many of the strands together on the Youth
policy was the walk remembering the 20th Anniversary of the Liberation
of Shushi. An event which attracted many of the young people from
the University and AYDC, as well as a few visitors from Georgia,
and, of course , England. The whole occasion was a poignant way of
emphasising the iconic nature of the original mission, as well as,
symbolic of the involvement of the University in the independence
movement, and the Youth, who 20 years ago would have participated
in the Liberation. On this occasion, the Remembrance was for the
heroic acts of the past, but also, a glance at the future, as these
people, who mostly were not born when the war started, represent the
inheritance of the struggle of their forebears and are the ultimate
protectors of Artsakh’s uncertain destiny.

Such is the importance of the Youth to Artsakh.

From: Baghdasarian

CANDIDATE: “FALSE INFORMATION HAS BEEN SPREAD”

06:27 pm | Today | Politics

Statement of the election headquarters of Vitali Balasanyan

“Today marks the end of the presidential election campaign in Artsakh.

We deem it necessary to touch upon the spread of groundless
rumors against Vitali Balasanyan and the attempts to discredit the
presidential candidate.

In his meetings with voters, the head of the incumbent president’s
election headquarters had spread false information and defamation
against Vitali Balasanyan, which goes to show that Sahakyan’s
administration is in panic. The election headquarters has continued
the same strategy on social networks and some marginal presses.

We also condemn the cases of ripping Bako Sahakyan’s pictures, as well
as the dissemination of satiric photos of him in different buildings.

Such acts are not appropriate and don’t contribute to the formation
of a political culture.

Vitali Balasanyan’s election headquarters assures that during
its campaign, Balasanyan and his supporters have led a correct and
legitimate campaign by presenting the political platform, criticizing
the country’s current policy and suggesting changes.

We regret to state that our opponents weren’t able to bring up any
argument against the criticism and simply offended us and spread
false information.

Today marks the end of the election campaign, and we are certain
that Artsakh’s wise people have been able to differentiate between
the misinformation and the reality and will make a reasonable choice.”

From: Baghdasarian

CHAIRMAN OF THE NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS RECEIVES THE EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY AMBASSADOR OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC CHINA TO RA

17.07.2012

On July 17 Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the National Assembly received the Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the
Republic of Armenia (RA) Tian Changchun.

To the Ambassador’s assessment, the Armenian-Chinese relations since
the independence and on the eve of the 20th anniversary of establishing
diplomatic relations have reached high level, and the active contacts
of the heads of the two states and the distinct directions and spheres
of cooperation indicated by them have contributed to it.

Thanking to the state institutions of China for the various kinds of
support being shown to RA Artak Zakaryan emphasized the development of
relations with China, underlining the big potential of cooperation in
political, economic, scientific-educational, inter-regional and other
spheres. According to the Committee Chairman, however, especially the
contacts at inter-parliamentary level are not so active, the potential
of cooperation is not completely used. The sides considered as a good
format the inter-parliamentary cooperation for more strengthening the
inner -state ties, expressing readiness of activating the relations
between the parliaments. The activation of the activity of the
Armenia-China Parliamentary Friendship Group was highlighted.

The interlocutors also touched upon the inter-party cooperation
and its given opportunities. In the Ambassador’s word, the recent
elections testify to the trust that the Republican Party of Armenia
enjoys, and the distinct paths that the country has chosen for
governing. Parliamentary elections in China will be held in march,
meanwhile at the 18th Congress of the Communist Party will be specified
who will be the leadership of the state and the party.

In the meeting the sides talked about the mutual support in the issues
of importance for the two countries and cooperation in international
structures.

Referring to the settlement of the NK conflict the Ambassador of the
People’s Republic of China thanked Armenia for the position of solving
the problem through peaceful negotiations and efforts of maintaining
peace and stability in the region. In his word, it’s not possible to
develop the economy, reach ultimate peace and implement new programmes
without stability

In his turn Artak Zakaryan thanked the Ambassador for the balanced
and constructive stance adopted by China, which is regularly expressed
particularly in the UN.

The interlocutors also talked about the educational-cultural projects,
as well as students’ exchange and language learning, and with readiness
of supporting new projects.

From: Baghdasarian

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO LEAVE ARMENIA SURPASSES THOSE WHO ARRIVE

news.am
July 17, 2012 | 14:32

YEREVAN. – The number of people who have left from Armenia by air has
again exceeded the number of those who have arrived in the country
in the first six months of this year.

A total of 333,962 people have arrived in and 384,037 have departed
from capital city Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport during
that time, and the difference is 50,075.

Also, the number of departing and arriving passengers has increased
this year as compared with the same time period last year, the Armenian
General Department of Civil Aviation informs. As case in point,
a total of 360,611 people had left from and 309,541 had arrived in
the Airport in the first six months of 2011.

To note, 18,811 people have departed from and 12,967 have arrived in
Gyumri city’s Shirak International Airport in the first six months
of 2012.

From: Baghdasarian

SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT REQUIRES COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH -RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

tert.am
17.07.12

One more round of negotiations in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process
under the OSCE Minsk Group’s auspices took place late last week.

Following their meeting with the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents,
as well as with the Nagorno-Karabakh leaders, the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs, who represent Russia, France and the USA, re-affirmed their
commitment to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The parties to the negotiation process called on the conflicting
parties to show political will for peace, respect the cease-fire
agreement and reject strong-worded statements. The Krasnaya Zvezda
(Red Star) newspaper turned to Russian Ambassador to Armenia Vladimir
Kazimirov (ex-head of the Russian mediation mission) for comments.

Below is an excerpt from his interview.

– The progress in the negotiations dates back to mid- or late 1990s.

What would you say of the present stage in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process?

– Since late 2007, the basic principles of conflict settlement, which
are supposed to underlie the peaceful agreement, have intensively
been negotiated. The parties’ fundamental disagreement is on the
essence of the conflict. Official Baku will not agree to a free and
legally binding referendum on Nagorno-Karabakh’s status, while the
mediators and the international community view this as a way out of
the situation. Baku, in turn, agrees to a referendum on a status for
Nagorno-Karabakh only as part of Azerbaijan, with the referendum to
be held throughout Azerbaijan.

To “cushion” the matter, Azerbaijan is focusing the negotiations and
its propaganda on the aftermath – rather than on the causes – of the
armed conflict. President Ilham Aliyev is viewing Nagorno-Karabakh
in this context. His father was more diplomatic as he was well aware
that the negotiations might reach a stalemate. Baku is doing its
utmost to conceal the fact that the seven regions would have never
been occupied but for Baku’s own blunders in seeking victory and its
obstinate refusal to stop all the military operations in time.

The expectations to get the territories back “freely” seem rather
unrealistic as well – the international community is intolerant to
occupation. Like Georgia in its conflict with Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, Azerbaijan is strongly against a non-use of force agreement.

Rather, it is stressing its preparedness for new war, its militant
rhetoric, huge military expenses and incidents on the Line of Contact
being evidence thereof. In their turn, international organizations
and outstanding figures in many countries stress the impossibility
of a military settlement of the conflict. In this situation, despite
permanent threats, Armenians are not at all in a hurry to leave
their fortifications.

– The latest statements by both the conflicting parties are evidence
of growing tension in the region. What is the cause of intensified
militant rhetoric?

– The latest incidents on the Line of Contact largely intensified the
military rhetoric. The incidents are no mere coincidences. Rather,
they are the result of the “no peace for occupants” principle. One
of the parties’ refusing to withdraw troops after the ceasefire was
established, in defiance of the previously reached agreement, and,
later, drawing its positions closer to the opposite side provoked
new incidents.

This also includes refusal to withdraw snipers from the frontlines
and unwillingness to allow the incidents to be investigated. We must
admit that the promise to withdraw snipers and allow incidents to
be investigated only after the Armenian troops have left does not at
all sound constructive.

Special emphasis should be placed on the same party’s dishonoring the
agreement on strengthening the ceasefire regime. The three conflicting
parties signed it as far back as February 1995, but it has not
been honored since. This policy deserves condemning. Regrettably,
the mediators fail to find the right words or are “ashamed of”
qualifying the conflicting parties’ actions thereby “capitulating
before” their intractability.

– This, however, does not absolve Russia of responsibility, it being
one of the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. What are the emphases
Russia is placing at the negotiations?

– Russia has since the outbreak of the conflict been the most active
mediator. First of all, we insist that any aggression be ruled out and
compromise be reached on any controversial issues. This conflict is
much more involving our national interests that the interests of France
or the USA because the Transcaucasian peoples are closest to Russia.

However, we have to admit that the sides are apparently unable to find
the way to “reciprocal exchanges” now. The forthcoming elections in
Azerbaijan and Armenia rule out any flexibility by the conflicting
parties for the next two years. The Russian president is likely
to consider this factor as well, which will, to a great extent,
be decisive in setting the priorities. Despite the elections both
countries seem able to step up public and expert efforts to lay the
foundations for rapprochement.

– Since the parties do not yet show any tangible rapprochement,
would a different format make the dialogue more constructive?

– It is not the format or mediators. The stalemate is the result of
the conflicting parties’ actions, their inability to make balanced
and realistic demands. Moreover, the same conflicting party continues
objecting to Nagorno-Karabakh returning to the negotiating table
as a third negotiator. During the war, official Baku signed a dozen
documents with Nagorno-Karabakh, including the agreement on ceasefire
and settlement of incidents. We have not a scenario of reaching
a speedy peace agreement. The present situation requires patience
and persistence.

– Still, what concrete steps need to be made for the conflict to be
settled in the future?

– My conviction is that an agreement on non-use of force is the
shortest way. With firm international guarantees, it would facilitate
the withdrawal of Armenian troops and the free expression of will by
the Nagorno-Karabakh population. The mediators have recently stated
their dislike for the status quo, which is not at all “blessing
the war.” One of the conflicting parties is trying to shift the
emphasis on the demand for withdrawal of Armenian troops. However,
military threats, militant rhetoric, dishonoring the commitments,
hostile propaganda and so on are unacceptable as well. No doubt, the
settlement requires a comprehensive approach, rather than considering
the parties’ “likes or dislikes.”

From: Baghdasarian