Johannes Kahrs: “I fear that the elections in Karabakh will escalate confrontation”

by Orkhan Sattarov, head of the European Bureau of VK

Vestnik Kavkaza offers an interview with a German MP of the Social Democratic Party Johannes Kahrs. The member of German parliament is very familiar with South Caucasus, he has commented on the recent presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh and the situation around the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

- In its press release, the Christian Democratic Union called the presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh “a heavy blow on efforts of the international society searching for a peaceful solution of the conflict” around Nagorno-Karabakh. What position do you and your party have on the issue?

- Personally, I can only approve the statement. It reflects the position of Bundestag as a whole. We have always been presenting this position at the EU, Bundestag itself and our party.

- Could Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh have a dialogue in such conditions? The Armenian sides has been skipping meetings with the Azerbaijani community so far.

- I believe that discussions of it should continue. Armenian and Azerbaijani governments should keep in touch with each other to find a more reasonable solution to the problem. I doubt that the elections they are having would help anyone. I fear that they would only escalate confrontation.

- Despite four resolutions of the UN Security Council demanding Armenia to withdraw forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories, the case has seen no progress for 20 years. What is your solution of the problem?

- I am confident that the solution of the conflict can only be reached in joint efforts of Armenian and Azerbaijani governments with support of the OSCE Minsk Group. A rational solution should be found for people in Nagorno-Karabakh. From the legal point of view, I consider the situation clear and unambiguous, so I believe that Armenia should intensively be explained that such approach is unacceptable. The last time I was visiting Azerbaijan, there was an incident with casualties at the frontline, this cannot be a solution to the problem.