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NEITHER THE PRESIDENTS, NOR THE PUBLIC ARE READY FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT

Politics

Albert Bazeyan, chairman of the party “National Revival” expresses his opinion on the procedure of the Karabakh conflict settlement and negotiations.

What do you think which side is to be blamed for the inefficiency of the negotiations; the Armenian one or the Azeri one?

I think that the Azeri side has non-constructive position. I had heard Aliyev’s interview by “Euronews” by the time the negotiations started in which he distinctly announced that they see the conflict settlement only within the framework of the regional wholeness of Azerebaijan and all the territories must be returned.

That means that the Azeri side doesn’t show its readiness to go to any compensation. Will our authorities agree upon it? Well, can any authority keep his power after giving such approval?

Is the haste of the Karabakh conflict settlement justified or can we preserve the status quo by lingering the settlement?

If by saying quick settlement we mean that we must agree upon all the suggestions of the Azeri side I cannot deem it a settlement.

Then what is the aim of the Karabakh movement, war and all the tortures that our people underwent? And finally the world pays attention to the fact. I think the side which will solve its interior problems, provide the development of the country, the establishment of democracy and civic society, promote economic development, the security of army and its residents earlier is likely to gain something.

This is a veritable truth for me. I don’t know which political force can declare today that they are ready to accept the offers of the Azeri side and demand a quick settlement from the authorities.

I think that the position of the international community on the negotiation procedure is determined by the fact that there were many election frauds.

But I must say that the approaches to the Karabakh conflict existed 10 years ago and remained unalterable.

It was always underlined that the conflict must be settled taking into account the regional wholeness of Azerbaijan. But now we face the process which allows us to speak of the conflict settlement viewing the right of self-determination as the vital principle.

Taking into consideration the negotiations held in Bucharest, do you share the optimism of the international community on the possibility of the conflict settlement in 2006?

“I don’t voice confidence in the promises of the international community and mediators that 2006 may be the year of the Karabakh conflict regulation.”

We don’t have such preconditions. Neither the authorities of the two sides nor the public are ready to accept the versions of the settlement offered in the process of negotiations. People aren’t familiar with the version put on the negotiation table; our predictions and opinions are based on the announcements of the two country authorities. We can only state today that the principles of self-determination and regional wholeness contradict each other and come into collision. The conflict cannot be settled in this way.

The interviewer was Diana Markosyan.