Armenia, Azerbaijan `Close To Karabakh Deal'

[Gavur]

RFE/RL Armenia Report - 07/11/2005
From: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 19:53:38 -0700 (PDT)

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Monday, 11 July, 2005

Armenia, Azerbaijan `Close To Karabakh Deal'

By Harry Tamrazian

Armenia and Azerbaijan are close to hammering out a peace accord on
Nagorno-Karabakh that will allow its ethnic Armenian residents to decide
their status in an internationally supervised referendum, according to
sources in Yerevan privy to the negotiating process.

The high-level sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have
told RFE/RL that the conflicting parties have already agreed on the key
points of a peace deal that could be formalized as early as this year or
at the beginning of next. At the heart of it, they say, is the idea of a
referendum in which the Karabakh Armenians will decide whether they want
to be independent, become a part of Armenia or return under Azerbaijani
rule.

Some Armenian and Western officials have hinted at the possibility of
such a vote over the past year that has seen major progress toward the
resolution of the Karabakh dispute. Presidents Ilham Aliev and Robert
Kocharian could build upon it at their next meeting scheduled to take
place in the Russian city of Kazan on August 27.

The Armenian sources claimed that the referendum would be held within 10
to 15 years from the signing of a peace agreement and would follow the
return of five of the seven occupied Azerbaijani districts around
Karabakh. They said the Lachin district, which serves as the shortest
overland link between Armenia and Karabakh, would remain under Armenian
control, while agreement has yet to be reached on the seventh occupied
territory, Kelbajar. The Armenians are ready to pull out of Kelbajar
only after a date is set for the referendum, while the Azerbaijani side
is demanding its liberation along with the five other districts, the
sources said.

Such a settlement would involve a combination of the so-called `package'
and `step-by-step' strategies of conflict resolution that are preferred
by the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides respectively. Officials in Yerevan
and Stepanakert have indicated in recent months that they are ready to
drop their insistence on a single agreement resolving all contentious
issues at once provided that they get other guarantees of continued
Armenian control of Karabakh.

Azerbaijan would recognize the Armenian control at least until the
referendum in Karabakh, the Yerevan sources said, adding that the peace
deal also calls for the deployment of peacekeeping troops from countries
that are not members of the OSCE's Minsk Group. They said this is a
compromise arrangement resulting from Azerbaijani opposition to Russian
participation in the peacekeeping force and Armenia's strong objections
to any Turkish military presence in the conflict zone.

Meanwhile, the Minsk Group's American, French and Russian co-chairs
began on Monday another round of regional shuttle diplomacy that will
take them to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Karabakh. The mediators have always
been tight-lipped about the content of their proposals, citing the
confidentiality of the peace proposals.

Their visit is expected to be followed by yet another meeting between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders which will precede the scheduled
Aliev-Kocharian talks in Kazan.

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OSCE MG Co-Chairs Told NKR Prez About Details of NK Peace Process

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TOLD NKR PRESIDENT ABOUT DETAILS OF KARABAKH PEACE
PROCESS


YEREVAN, JULY 14. ARMINFO. NKR President Arkady Ghoukassyan met with
OSCE MG co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov, Bernard Fassier and Stephen Mann
Wednesday evening.

Ghoukassyan's press service reports that the co-chairs told him about
the details of the meetings of the Armenian and Azeri presidents and
the co-chairs' meeting with the Armenian and Azeri FMs. They presented
their approaches to the Karabakh peace process. They said that there
is a new possibility in the process but the question is not about new
proposals.

Ghoukassyan said that it is early yet to speak about mutual
understanding on the current stage but there are still big
expectations of progress. He hopes that the co-chairs' visit to the
region will be one more step forward to peace.

The co-chairs thanked Ghoukassyan for the constructive dialogue and
commitment to search for mutually acceptable settlement formats.

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Russia tightens border security as relations cool

Russia tightens border security as relations cool - Azeri paper
From: Mihran Keheyian <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 12:14:44 +0500 (AMST)

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Russia tightens border security as relations cool - Azeri paper

Yeni Musavat, Baku
18 Jul 05

Excerpt from Elsad report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat on
18 July headlined "Why are Russian-Azerbaijani relations tense?" and
subheaded "The Kremlin is unhappy with Ilham Aliyev"

It has been confirmed that statements about good relations between
Russia and Azerbaijan were wrong. Russian President Vladimir Putin gave
instructions to "securely lock and protect" the border with Azerbaijan
during a visit to Dagestan two days ago [on 15 July]. During the visit
Putin inspected the Chepel checkpoint on the Russian-Azerbaijani border
and gave directives to create two new brigades to fight terrorists
in the mountains. It follows from here that the Russian authorities
are working on a plan to portray Azerbaijan as the side guilty for
the latest terrorist attacks in Dagestan.

[Passage omitted: Russia hinders Azerbaijani ships]

While commenting on the situation, the former Azerbaijani ambassador
to Russia, Hikmat Hacizada, said that Putin wants to exert pressure
on Azerbaijan using the terrorism factor. In Hacizada's opinion,
Russia panics every time there is a threat of terrorism in the region
and seeks to stop the routes supplying the North Caucasus terrorist
network. "Russia is certain that the North Caucasus terrorist network
receives all assistance and weapons through Azerbaijan and Georgia,"
he said.

On the other hand, the Russian-Azerbaijani relationship has cooled
over the past few months. "This happened as a result of Azerbaijan's
rejection of the Russian proposal of closer ties," Hacizada said. In
principle, the cooling of the relationship means that [Azerbaijani
President Ilham] I. Aliyev has been deprived of serious support from
Russia. "However, there is a limit. Of course, Moscow is unhappy
with Aliyev, but a democratic president would be more dangerous for
Russia. A democratic president will be like [Ukrainian President
Viktor] Yushchenko or [Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili to
Russia," he said.

Hacizada did not rule out that the closure of the border may seriously
damage Azerbaijan's economy. "At least, cars will be thoroughly
searched at the checkpoints. This will result in the pile-up of freight
under the sun. This usually leads to a crisis on the Azerbaijani
markets. There was a similar situation in the mid-1990s," he said.

Can strong pressure from Russia force the Azerbaijani authorities to
turn towards West? In Hacizada's view, the Azerbaijani authorities
are anyway pro-Western: "However, it has not come yet to the complete
severance of ties with Russia."

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Azerbaijan Public Tv Company Will Broadcast Programs In Armenian

AZERBAIJAN PUBLIC TV COMPANY WILL BROADCAST PROGRAMS IN ARMENIAN


19.07.2005 03:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Director General of the Public Television Company (OTV) of Azerbaijan, that was founded yesterday, Ismail Omarov stated that programs in the Armenian language will be aired at the OTV. He added that the final decision over the issue will be passed after a study of the public opinion is held. In case the society supports the idea, in his words, OTV will broadcast a program in Armenian. “Karabakh Armenians are citizens of Azerbaijan. We are going to provide a special status to them. Citizens of Azerbaijan should know about the processes in the country and state development not through hearsay. After they get to know about this development, they will come against Armenian occupation themselves,” he said. As I. Omarov noted, programs in Armenian can be aired before settlement of the Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, too, reported IA Regnum.

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Turkish Mod Head To Discuss Karabakh Settlement In Baku

TURKISH MOD HEAD TO DISCUSS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IN BAKU


19.07.2005 07:55

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Turkish Defense Minister is arriving in Baku on a three-day visit. He will be received it the Azeri capital at the highest level, the Yerkir newspaper reported. The agenda meetings to be held by the Turkish MOD includes the issue of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakhconflict.

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Joint Statement of Armenian Internet Resources’

Joint Statement of Armenian Internet Resources’ Representatives Concerning the Prague Peace Process and Principles of the Nagorno Karabagh Conflict Settlement


Armenia.ru - http://www.armenia.ru
Forum on Artsakh.info - http://www.artsakh.info
ArtsakhWorld - http://www.artsakhworld.com
Genocide.ru - http://www.genocide.ru
Armenian Pride - http://www.angelfire.com/hi/Azgaser


The modern conception of the statehood and international relations has already passed the stage when forcible solutions, purchases and sales between a limited number of state officials, even if those officials are elected by the peoples of their countries, determined the fates of nations.

In democratic political systems ordinary citizens are secured the rights to participate in public affairs. This right is fixed both in international and state laws. Enjoying that natural right, we, leaders and participants of a number of Armenian virtual resources, come out with the following joint statement.

We express our gratitude to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen, representatives of the USA, Russia and France, who notwithstanding regular critical remarks in their address, spare no efforts to find a solution to the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict. In connection with this we hail the Prague Peace Process expressing our hope that during those negotiations mutually acceptable and fair solutions of the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict will be found, solutions that in the best way will take into consideration the interests of all parties to the conflict.

We do not see any contradiction between the right of peoples to self-determination and territorial integrity of states. The two principles can be equally applied in Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict settlement. The Armenian side has never put forward any territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Therefore, the borders of the Azerbaijani Republic can remain inviolable. On the other hand international law provides the nations with unreserved right to achieve self-determination in the context of democratic process, and people of Artsakh used that very right and voted in the 1991 referendum independence. Irrespective of the consent or disagreement of the Azerbaijan Republic, Republic of Armenia or any other third party the position of the Artsakhi people was expressed in the a democratic way wholly corresponding to the former Soviet and modern international laws

In connection with this put special emphasises on the fact that any bargaining, pressure and blackmail around the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh problem are absolutely inadmissible for both the Armenian and we hope Azerbaijani people. The right to determine their future wholly belongs to peoples who live in the given territory. This right belongs to the Armenian and Azerbaijani people. Even the decisions adopted and assured by the leaders of the states without taking into consideration the views of the local population will be considered illegitimate and not liable to carry out.

While welcoming constructive participation of any state in the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict settlement. We have to note that historical experience and positions of some states cause obvious damage to the peace process in the region. In particular we pay special attention to the fact that Turkey which is responsible for the grave crime towards humanity, the Armenian Genocide of late 19th early 20th centuries, not only cannot be considered peacemaker, but to a great extent it is responsible for the emergence of the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict. By the committed crimes, unilateral blockade of Armenia and unbridled anti-Armenian rhetoric, Turkey entirely discredited itself before the Armenian people.

The Armenian people continue to apprehend Turkey’s interference in Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh problem, whether by means of the undercover bargaining, or pressure within international forums or direct blackmail of Armenia, as a continuation of the traditional policy of Turkish aggression against the Armenian nation and Turkish expansionism in the Caucasus. In this respect we express our concern that some international structures, particularly the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Islamic Conference, which have made declarations of human rights and freedom of speech as the bases of their activities in the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict settlement became the tool of Turkish blackmail and propaganda. Nonconstructive interference of Turkey or any other state in the process of the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict settlement should not be allowed by the parties to the conflict, mediators and international organizations.

We consider that the prolongation of the negotiation process is not the fault of the mediator Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Group rather it is the fault of the negotiation parties. In particular, Azerbaijan refuses to negotiate with the representatives of Artsakh people repeatedly and publicly rejects any concessions to the Armenian party. The authorities of Azerbaijan are stuck in war propaganda, Armenophobia and racism thus violating international and its own laws.

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Unbridled human hating anti-Armenian propaganda of Baku has led its own people to the condition that Azeri officer decapitated asleep Armenian officer in distant Budapest and at once became national hero in the eyes of many Azerbaijani citizens. Among characteristic features of some high-ranking Azeri officials are irresponsible public statements and straight destructive lie. Recently Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mamedjarov distinguish himself in such a way assessing the Warsaw negotiations as a de-facto Armenian capitulation. Armenian party has also made some errors that affected the prolongation of the conflict. In particular Armenia till recently hoped that the preservation of the present status quo would reduce acuteness of the conflict. However, these mistakes cannot be compared with Azerbaijan non-constructive position and if Armenia has repeatedly stated the readiness to make mutual concessions and to find compromises, the Azeri leadership continues to reject any idea of concession to the Armenian party. In such a situation the NKR authorities have the most constructive position. NKR is ready to make mutual concessions and guarantee the Artsakh people the most fundamental of all human rights of human being – the right to freedom and security.

We once again emphasize that illegitimate leadership of Azerbaijan, which has usurped the power through clan machinations and roughest infringements of the elective process cannot be considered legitimate representatives of the Azerbaijani people. On the other hand, the Republic of Armenia cannot be considered representative of the Artsakh people for the mare reason that the people of Artsakh have gained independence and have its own legitimate representatives elected through the course of the most democratic elections in the South Caucasus. In connection with this we consider that any agreements will come into effect have power only if they are approved by the authorities and people of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic.

The present status-quo is unacceptable solution; it does not meet the interests of the South Caucasian people. Equally any attempts to return to the concept of autonomy for Artsakh are absolutely unacceptable and are pregnant with destabilization and unpredictable developments in the whole region. The only reasonable principle to settle the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict is freely expressed will of the people of Artsakh. The duty of politicians is not obtrude their own opinion or geopolitical accounts on the Artsakh people, but to take into consideration the opinion of the Artsakh as the basis of the settlement and transform it into political treaty between the parties. We hope that with the assistance of Mink Group Co-chairmen the parties will come to this foremost correct and legitimate solution. We sincerely want to see peace and good neighborly relations established between the Armenian and Azeri people. And the only guarantor of this kind of peace is the fair solution of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.

In connection with this we call the parties to the conflict, OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmen, other states and international organizations involved in the settlement or discussions around the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict to put aside political and conjecture considerations and take into consideration the will of people and fundamental human rights. In this context, any fair solution of the Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh conflict must include the following elements:

1. Unconditional recognition of the natural right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination that is recognition of the results of the 1991 independence referendum of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic;
2. Recognition of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic;
3. Mutual concessions between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh on the basis of the first two elements to reach the most favorable political settlement of the conflict;
4. Unconditional recognition of the rights of Azerbaijani and Armenian refugees to return to their former places of residence irrespective of the political jurisdiction of those places. Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic have to guarantee secure residence of their citizens irrespective of ethnicity;
5. Normalization of relations, unblocking of communications, establishment of diplomatic relations between the three states, large scale democratic reforms and civic society building in all those states with an emphasize on forming a culture of peaceful coexistence and tolerance.

It is necessary remember that any delays of the conflict settlement process have a negative impact on the citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. People continue to die along the line of contact and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, thousands of people have abandoned their homes, economic development in these three states is put to direct dependence on the conflict.

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It should be separately emphasized that democratization and civil society building processes, political and legal reforms in booth Azerbaijan and Armenia have become hostages of the conflict, hindering the region’s integration and formation of security system in the South Caucasus. The Nagorno Karabagh/Artsakh issue is used both by the authorities and radical opposition in these states to keep power and wipe off personal and political scores. At the same time it is obvious that full-scaled reforms, efficient democracy and civil society, progressive development and regional integration are impossible as long as there is no just solution to the Artsakh conflict based on equality and free will of people. In connection to this we call the parties to the conflict, mediators and the international community to make boldness, courage and responsibility, and make decisions based on the above mentioned principles in Nagorno Karabagh conflict settlement. We are confident that just they only these principles can become the foundation of just and lasting peace between Armenian and Azerbaijani people.

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KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE NOT SUBJECT TO BARGAIN

Pan ARMENIAN Network, Armenia
July 21 2005

21.07.2005 05:15

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There are no big changes in the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Nagorno Karabakh Foreign Minister (FM) Arman
Melikyan stated at a news conference in Yerevan today. In his words,
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs work to form the negotiation atmosphere
today. Simultaneously he remarked that the stands of the parties
to conflict are far from each other and "speaking of capitulation
is early." In the FM's words, no official statements have been made
over the talks yet. When commenting on the media frequently reporting
on possible return of lands to Azerbaijan and possible referendum
in Nagorno Karabakh, Melikyan noted Azerbaijan is guilty for the
media leak. NK is ready to participate in the talks is spite the
issue is still being discussed by Azerbaijan and Armenia. "NK can
take part in the negotiations, however it is not a goal in itself,"
Melikyan remarked. He added, "We are ready to cooperate with Baku,
if it bears fruit." At that he noted that the coming parliamentary
election in Azerbaijan can theoretically influence the talks. In the
FM's words, NK authorities consider the Republic's independence is
not subject to bargain. The Minister also said that speaking of the
time of resolution of the conflict is "a thankless affair." "We forget
that we are not alone in the world and today serious processes take
place in the world," the FM said. Answering the question whether one
or two states will be formed afterwards, the FM said, "NK has already
self-determined and it is a fact already. The question whether 2
states or 1 will be formed depends on the situation."

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ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
07/21/2005
Karabagh's Independence Not Subject to Discussions, Says Foreign Minister

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)--The idea of holding a referendum to decide
Mountainous Karabagh's status is not up for discussion a senior Karabagh
official said on Thursday.
"Karabagh's independence is of supreme value for our people and is not
subject
to discussions," said Arman Melikian, the foreign minister of Mountainous
Karabagh Republic (MKR).
There was speculation earlier this month that the parties are close to
agreeing on a peace formula that would require the population of MKR to
determine its status with a referendum to be held in the next 10-15 years. But
Melikian stressed that it is "senseless" to contemplate the option since the
"issue is not on the table."
International mediators refused to confirm the news during their visit to
Baku, Stepanakert, and Yerevan last week. They said only that an agreement
ending the long-running dispute could be signed by the end of this year.
Melikian added that the country's status and a peace plan are two separate
issues, and that a settlement to the conflict, and the consequences of the war
should be considered under international norms.
The minister also said that only time would show whether there would be one
state or two as a result of a settlement. He said that though the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs are working effectively, principles for a settlement have not
yet been formulated.
Melikian dismissed suggestions that the MKR leadership may not be informed
about details of the peace talks. "I think we are sufficiently informed about
the course of the negotiations and are in a position to react to them," he
told
reporters.