Experts: Karabakh needs peace

A press conference on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement titled "The fragile truce in the zone of Karabakh conflict: how to maintain peace" took place today in Moscow. Its participants stressed the necessity for a speedy solution to this problem, which has plunged the South Caucasus region into a state of permanent instability for more than two decades.

The senior lecturer of the history department of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Ismail Agakishiev, noted that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not just in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, but also the seven Azerbaijani districts that have no relation to it, but they are also occupied by Armenia. The expert pointed out the need for a clear understanding of the situation.

"Both Russians and the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan, we all want a truce and peace in Karabakh. Above all, we should pay attention to the violated territorial integrity of one of the states, as well as where the forces of the other state are now. It is necessary to establish peace on this territory. If the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had been located on the territory of Armenia, then international organizations and leading states engaged in this issue would have addressed President Ilham Aliyev to withdraw them. But if Armenian troops are in Azerbaijan, they are obliged to leave the territory. Imagine if troops of another state were on the territory of Russia, so what should the Russian authorities and the people have done in this case? Firstly, they should have peacefully resolved this issue, but if there is no peaceful solution, then the problem is solved by military means. We know this from history, starting with World War II up to today,'' Ismail Agakishiev said.

"The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia should leave the territory of Azerbaijan in order to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I want to emphasize that Armenians who live on the territory of Azerbaijan are a peaceful civilian population. They are not the armed forces of a foreign country. When the matter is resolved we will speak not about a truce, but fully-fledged peace and cooperation between states. If the issue remains the same, we will unfortunately have to speak about the beginning of military actions. Neither the Armenian nor the Azerbaijani people need this, because war means deaths, victims, damage. This is not the purpose of a human being's life. If he raises a gun to conquer foreign territory it is not right, either in religious or human ways,'' the assistant professor of the Department of History at the Lomonosov Moscow State University said.

The Deputy General Director of the Center for the Study of the Former Soviet Union, Yevgeny Nikolaichuk, reminded that there is a plan that was worked out a long time ago to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the recent battles have shown that it is necessary to implement this plan as quickly as possible.

"It is clear that the conflict cannot be solved in a military way. There is a guide for actions as part of a peaceful settlement, which is clearly defined by the Madrid principles. Firstly, there is the use of force, which means the withdrawal of troops and the liberation of the seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan. Secondly, the further use of force and the right of nations to self-determination and territorial integrity. Everything has already been worked out, and Russia plays one of the dominant roles. Yesterday's visit by Sergei Lavrov to Baku and Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Baku and Yerevan prove this fact," he said, recalling that "Minister Lavrov urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to become the best friends of Russia."

Deputy General Director of the Center for the Study of the former Soviet Union Yevgeny Nikolaichuk reminded that there is a plan that was worked out a long time ago to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the recent battles have shown that it is necessary to implement this plan as quickly as possible.

It is clear that the conflict cannot be solved in the military way. There is a guide for actions within peaceful settlement, which is clearly defined by the Madrid principles. firstly, it is the use of force, which means the withdrawal of troops and the liberation of seven occupied regions of Azerbaijan. Secondly, the further use of force and the right of nations to self-determination and territorial integrity. Everything has already been worked out and Russia plays one of the dominant roles. The yesterday's visit of Sergei Lavrov to Baku and Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Baku and Yerevan prove this fact," he said, recalling that Minister Lavrov urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to become the best friends of Russia ".

Historian and political analyst, Candidate of Historical Sciences Oleg Kuznetsov focused in his speech on the legal issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"Is there a state in the world, at least one country, except for Armenia, which doesn't recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan? Russia, neighboring countries, Turkey, Iran and Georgia, the leading world powers, permanent and non-permanent UN Security Council members have never stated that they didn't recognize it. From the viewpoint of the Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the viewpoint of the international law, these lands are occupied by Armenia now, despite the fact that it is an integral part of Azerbaijan," the expert recalled the simple truth of the conflict.

Writer, historian Alexander Goryanin noticed that for many thousands of people who lived together in the USSR, Azerbaijanis and Armenians were is equal people. "The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is a conflict ''our'' people,'' the writer drew the his attention.