“2011 was one of few years, when expectations of near settlement of the conflict were very high. The country-co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have made several statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which can be characterized as motivation of the sides for progress,” the head of the sector in the department of Political Analysis and Information Providing under the administration of Azerbaijan’s president, Farkhad Mamedov, said speaking in Moscow at presentation of the book Conceptual Basics of Reconstruction of Post-conflict Territories in Azerbaijan.
However, just like in other periods negotiation process didn’t get through the stage of realization of achieved agreements and the sides were not managed to fixate the progress. Status quo remained despite statements of the co-chairmen. Armenia didn’t withdraw its army from the occupied territories. Several provocative statements by the Armenian side were heard at the summit of the CIS in Dushanbe, General Assembly of the UN in New York, at the summit of Eastern Partnership in Warsaw. Later the Armenian side called fire-fights at the front, which were initiated by Armenia, “counterinsurgency operations,” using lives of Armenian soldiers in the process of consolidation of the Armenian society.
“The same situation we saw after signing of the Zurich protocols on Armenian-Turkish normalization, when the authorities of Armenia using this process got international legitimacy. After getting slight hope for opening of borders with Turkey, Armenia hardened its position and holes for signing peace treaty failed,” Mamedov noted.
According to him, negotiation process cannot come to a dead-end, as admitting of it will make co-chairmen to leave the process of settlement. The position of Azerbaijan in this sphere is clear. It strives for continuation of the negotiations, rather than their imitation or discussion of the issues, which have been already agreed. In this context demands of Azerbaijan to the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group should be understood. Compromises by Azerbaijan are obvious: guarantees of physical security for Armenians of Nagorny Karabakh, demilitarized zone, providing of connection with Armenia, economy welfare and social and cultural development of Azerbaijani and Armenian population of the region.
According to Mamedov, the authorities of Armenia prevent Armenians of Nagorny Karabakh from informing on these initiatives. We have many times witnessed that the so-called Karabakh non-governmental organizations stated on boycott of those or that international peacemaking organizations, when they initiated common living of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Karabakh. Today initiative on meetings between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities belongs to the Azerbaijani side.
The book Conceptual Basics of Reconstruction of Post-conflict Territories in Azerbaijan effects positively, defines certain vision of future and shows what should be done for improving life at the occupied territory, Mamedov thinks. For full recover years are needed. Nobody can say when the process starts, as there is no peace between the sides. The book presents proposals and sums, which are real for Azerbaijan and absolutely fantastic for Armenia.
Mamedov believes that the presented research is one of visions of the post-conflict region by Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, forces, which are interested in maintaining of the current crisis situation, spread information that settlement of the conflict leads to unpredictable consequences in the region, for example, it will damage interests of Russia and Iran. Settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will change the structure of security system in the region, but it won’t redirect it at any of sides. The countries of the region, including Azerbaijan, have many times stated they don’t want to be the platform of competition between world powers. Settlement of the conflict will enable the states of the South Caucasus to integrate closer with each other. The territory of the South Caucasus will be more predictable. Azerbaijan demonstrates good will toward Armenian population of Nagorny Karabakh. Azerbaijan is aimed at progress and perspective, as it has potential and resources for it.
VK.
