"Everything looks more gloomy than ever"
"Azerbaijan is getting more and more impatient. I think Armenia uses the status quo to find a solution. Any change in the status quo that does not force Azerbaijan to recognize Karabakh's independence is acceptable for Azerbaijan," Tabib Huseinov, an analyst of the International Crisis Group, said during the
73rd NATO PA Rose Roth seminar in Yerevan on Friday.
He says the solution to the Karabakh conflict is very close as Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on the main principles.
Nevertheless, the recent developments in Armenia and Azerbaijan upset Tabib Huseinov.
"I do not want to blame ordinary people. I think that both in Azerbaijan and Armenia the ruling political circles use public concerns to strengthen their position in the talks. Another obstacle that prevents the conflict resolution is the syndrome of a loser and winner. Many people in Armenia consider that they are the winning party and have more to lose under the Madrid Principles," adds Tabib Huseinov.
OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier stressed that the Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts have nothing in common; hence the repetition of the same scenario is excluded. "The Kosovo conflict occurred inside one country, whereas Karabakh is both an inner conflict within a country and at the same time an outer conflict between two separate countries-Armenia and Azerbaijan," he said.
"The sooner Nagorno Karabakh is engaged in the talks, the better," said the French Co-Chair and added that by saying Nagorno-Karabakh he did not mean the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as it is not recognized by other states.
"The aspiration of Karabakhi people to get involved in the talks that affect their vital interests is fair, but this might happen only when all Karabakhi people including those residing there before the war return to their places of abode. Once people live in peace and perceive each other as neighbours, and all people living in the territory before the conflict return to their settlements, they will have the right to demand participation in the talks. Any solution to the Karabakh conflict should ensure an interim status for Karabakh, envisage security guarantees and return of displaced persons" said Fassier.
The French diplomat reminded that Robert Kocharyan expressed a wish to represent Armenia and Karabakh in the talks.
"At some point Nagorno-Karabakh walked out of the talks. Currently the conflicting sides should give their consent to Karabakh's return. One day Karabakhi people will participate in the wide-ranging talks. The sooner that day comes, the better," the French Co-Chair concluded.
"Everything looks more gloomy in the Karabakh conflict than it was five years ago," Sabine Freizer, Europe programme director of the International Crisis Group.
