GORAN LENNMARKER: “IT IS TIME FOR RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT” – INTERVIEW
APA
Nov 25 2011
Azerbaijan
“First of all that it is question of the public opinion in Azerbaijan
and in Armenia to have a debate about acceptance of the solution that
is good for people of the both countries”
Stockholm. M. Guliyeva – APA. APA’s interview with former president
of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, chairman of the Jarl Hjalmarson
Foundation Goran Lennmarker
– How do you estimate the current situation around the settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?
– First of all, I think that it is time for resolution of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Three things I would like to underline. First
of all that it is question of the public opinion in Azerbaijan and
in Armenia to have a debate about acceptance of the solution that is
good for people of the both countries, because the negotiation process
must be accepted by the people of Azerbaijan and also by the people
of Armenia. Otherwise there will be no solution and if there is no
solution the status quo will be gone and a lot of people will suffer.
In Azerbaijan 700.000 up to one million people that should have the
right to go back to their property, to visit the graves. Even perhaps
if the most will stay in Baku, they should have the get back their
property, their ancient home because it is their fundamental right.
And I think that it is time in Azerbaijan to have a debate on that.
Because there is a possibility for the solution that is not only for
refugees who wish to come back. Another thing from the outside that
Europe could do more is that I think to give membership perspective
to Azerbaijan and Armenia and Georgia in the European Union. Then
it is up to Azerbaijan if it wishes to use it, it is voluntarily and
you must wish it yourself, but there is should be a perspective for
the European membership and insertion to reach a solution.
– Can Europe propose anything aside membership perspective?
– No, if there is should be a negotiated solution, it should be
depended on the negotiation process between the two countries. From
the outside we can help to support but the solution cannot be imposed
from the outside.
It must be negotiated. It must be a solution which is accepted by the
both sides, in other words, the compromise. Nobody will be 100% happy
because it is the nature of it. I think that the discussion between
Armenia and Turkey could be helpful, and here I have a different
opinion with the leadership of Azerbaijan. Because I think that
could help the solution. If they could get through their complicated
history in the whole manner, I think that could be a good thing for
Nagorno-Karabakh. That could help for the solution, because this is
the European experience. We all have in a war, for example Sweden had
12 wars with Denmark, 9 wars with Russia and many wars with Poland
and Germany. This is a typical European history of the conflicts,
and we have to learn to live together with the bothers that are very
debatable and discussed.
What about Russian role in this conflict
We should have Russia there as a part of the Minsk Group because
that is important. The most important thing is that we could get the
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh which will help to the whole Caucasus
region. Perhaps also help Russia to have more Russian policy towards
its own part of Caucasus, I mean the north part of Caucasus which
from the Russian point of view is a big problem.