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Re: What are the N.K. borders?
More about the map than anything else. It's about time that ArmeniaNow starts adopting the true and only factual map of the NKR.
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Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan: Communities of the three countries have to define a dialogue format suiting all sides
Before reaching Karabakh for a visit that has just begun, considerable negotiation was required over how the representatives of Azeri intelligentsia would get there.
One option was rejected by the Azeri side – a member of delegation, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia Polad Byul-Byul-oghlu stated that he had no intention of going to Karabakh via Yerevan. The second option (crossing the Azerbaijan-Karabakh border), naturally, didn't suit the Armenian side.
Arriving finally by air, the representatives must now face the question of which direction to take their countries.
Despite the optimistic statements of international mediators the Karabakh settlement issue has not made any progress yet, and with the apparent activation of public opinion, the political decision-making might be postponed.
Last March, French co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk group Bernard Fussier stated while in Yerevan that both “the Armenian and Azerbaijani” communities of Karabakh would be drawn into the negotiation process.
Azerbaijan’s reaction immediately followed Fussier’s statement – Baku started forming an “Azeri community”.
In early June, Baku hosted a funding convention of a new NGO named “Azeri Community of Nagorno Karabakh of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.
The newly-formed management structure includes its own ministries of foreign affairs, domestic affairs, propaganda, culture and education. In early March of 2009, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev appointed Bayram Safarov as Chief Executive of Shushi region (in NKR).
Safarov stated that “no referendum can take place until the 65 thousand Azeri community is returned to Nagorno Karabakh”. (According to the census of 1989, the Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh had 35,000 Azeri residents -- 21 percent of ARNK’s total population).
Thanks to mediators and international organizations, the political negotiations are gradually taking a civil course, or rather, intercommunity discussions.
Besides OSCE’s attempts, there are at least 3 processes in the course of which international NGOs are trying to arrange meetings of “communities”.
The oldest organization among them is Britain’s International Alert, which is planning the 4th Armenian-Azeri Forum, with participation of a Karabakh delegation. And, although it is not publicized, the Azeri delegation includes representatives of “Karabakh community”, hence, turning it into an intercommunity dialogue.
Eurasia Project Coordinator at International Alert Dessislav Russanova said that the fourth Armenian and Azeri NGO Forum will take place in late July in Moscow.
“The participants might be able to discuss – in conference and constructively – possible acts of good will capable of improving the relationship between the peoples,” stated Russanova.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Second Forum of NKR NGOs, a declaration was adopted, which reads: “ We, NGO leaders and NKR experts, are declaring our principles of participation in international peacekeeping projects: we will not take part in intercommunity projects or those of any other format contradicting and infringing our self-identification as citizens of NKR”. The participants of the second forum arrived at the conclusion that “the peaceful civil dialogue has recently shown tendency of being politicized, which is, essentially, distorting the factual situation and anticipates the results of the official political settlement of the conflict.”
Should Armenian NGOs take part in the dialogue with Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue without Karabakh’s participation? The question, probably, needs a joint discussion among the representatives of Armenian and Karabakhi NGOs.
However, Heritage party sees a different way out of the situation stating that first of all Armenia has to recognize Nagorno Karabakh’s independence as a member of the international community.
“Armenia has to recognize the exclusive rights and responsibility of the authorities of the Republic of Nagorno Karabkh, and consider NKR’s independent status and security as priority issues in negotiations with Azerbaijan,” the party statement says.
The US Congress, which has been giving aid to Nagorno Karabakh for many years, shares that opinion. The Appropriations Subcommittee of US House of Representatives has recently passed the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, providing for an increase in US humanitarian aid to NKR by $10 million. The subcommittee also approved the bill on the cut of aid to Azerbaijan because of Armenia’s and Nagorno Karabakh’s blockade.
More about the map than anything else. It's about time that ArmeniaNow starts adopting the true and only factual map of the NKR.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Armenia, Karabakh, Azerbaijan: Communities of the three countries have to define a dialogue format suiting all sides
Before reaching Karabakh for a visit that has just begun, considerable negotiation was required over how the representatives of Azeri intelligentsia would get there.
One option was rejected by the Azeri side – a member of delegation, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia Polad Byul-Byul-oghlu stated that he had no intention of going to Karabakh via Yerevan. The second option (crossing the Azerbaijan-Karabakh border), naturally, didn't suit the Armenian side.
Arriving finally by air, the representatives must now face the question of which direction to take their countries.
Despite the optimistic statements of international mediators the Karabakh settlement issue has not made any progress yet, and with the apparent activation of public opinion, the political decision-making might be postponed.
Last March, French co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk group Bernard Fussier stated while in Yerevan that both “the Armenian and Azerbaijani” communities of Karabakh would be drawn into the negotiation process.
Azerbaijan’s reaction immediately followed Fussier’s statement – Baku started forming an “Azeri community”.
In early June, Baku hosted a funding convention of a new NGO named “Azeri Community of Nagorno Karabakh of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.
The newly-formed management structure includes its own ministries of foreign affairs, domestic affairs, propaganda, culture and education. In early March of 2009, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev appointed Bayram Safarov as Chief Executive of Shushi region (in NKR).
Safarov stated that “no referendum can take place until the 65 thousand Azeri community is returned to Nagorno Karabakh”. (According to the census of 1989, the Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh had 35,000 Azeri residents -- 21 percent of ARNK’s total population).
Thanks to mediators and international organizations, the political negotiations are gradually taking a civil course, or rather, intercommunity discussions.
Besides OSCE’s attempts, there are at least 3 processes in the course of which international NGOs are trying to arrange meetings of “communities”.
The oldest organization among them is Britain’s International Alert, which is planning the 4th Armenian-Azeri Forum, with participation of a Karabakh delegation. And, although it is not publicized, the Azeri delegation includes representatives of “Karabakh community”, hence, turning it into an intercommunity dialogue.
Eurasia Project Coordinator at International Alert Dessislav Russanova said that the fourth Armenian and Azeri NGO Forum will take place in late July in Moscow.
“The participants might be able to discuss – in conference and constructively – possible acts of good will capable of improving the relationship between the peoples,” stated Russanova.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Second Forum of NKR NGOs, a declaration was adopted, which reads: “ We, NGO leaders and NKR experts, are declaring our principles of participation in international peacekeeping projects: we will not take part in intercommunity projects or those of any other format contradicting and infringing our self-identification as citizens of NKR”. The participants of the second forum arrived at the conclusion that “the peaceful civil dialogue has recently shown tendency of being politicized, which is, essentially, distorting the factual situation and anticipates the results of the official political settlement of the conflict.”
Should Armenian NGOs take part in the dialogue with Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue without Karabakh’s participation? The question, probably, needs a joint discussion among the representatives of Armenian and Karabakhi NGOs.
However, Heritage party sees a different way out of the situation stating that first of all Armenia has to recognize Nagorno Karabakh’s independence as a member of the international community.
“Armenia has to recognize the exclusive rights and responsibility of the authorities of the Republic of Nagorno Karabkh, and consider NKR’s independent status and security as priority issues in negotiations with Azerbaijan,” the party statement says.
The US Congress, which has been giving aid to Nagorno Karabakh for many years, shares that opinion. The Appropriations Subcommittee of US House of Representatives has recently passed the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, providing for an increase in US humanitarian aid to NKR by $10 million. The subcommittee also approved the bill on the cut of aid to Azerbaijan because of Armenia’s and Nagorno Karabakh’s blockade.
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