Karabakhtsi mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan?
Nagorno-Karabakh is the most important issue for bringing Armenia and Azerbaijan closer together, says head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Samad Seidov , adding that "it is an issue that is of vital significance for Armenia and Azerbaijan".
"It interests both countries and it wouldn't be logical to leave that issue aside and be involved with something else," says Seidov.
Samad Seidov has his version of the dialogue, and that is discussion on the solution to the issue, better yet, move the issue to the PACE subcommittee on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
The Azerbaijani delegation continues to claim that the PACE has to reinstate the subcommittee on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
On the contrary, the Armenian delegation is trying to do everything possible to prevent the reinstatement of that subcommittee. In his speech, head of the Armenian delegation David Harutyunyan doesn't even use the word "subcommittee", but PACE Resolution 1416, which is entitled "Conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh Region Regulated within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Congress" (25 January 2005).
"A1+" told Seidov that the OSCE Minsk Group was involved with this issue and asked how appropriate it would be to move the NK issue to the PACE, to which Seidov replied:
"We don't even know the details that the leaders of the two countries discuss during their negotiations, and that is correct because it is such a delicate and painful issue that, after the negotiations are revealed, there will be talks in your society and our society. That is why I say the Minsk Group is a diplomatic format for dialogue and shouldn't be confused with or compared to the parliamentary format. In that case, let's disband all parliaments and let presidents solve all issues. But we're not doing that, right? In our countries, we give our parliaments more power. Why do we do that in our countries, but reject discussions in the parliamentary format here st the PACE?"
Samad Seidov also says if the parties can't find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, let them invite the representatives of the Armenian communities and former Azeri communities of Nagorno-Karabakh and have them start negotiating.
Doesn't this mean that you accept the NK as a separate state? This question frustrated Seidov, who said Armenian journalists misunderstand him and that he only talks about people and the humanitarian relations between the two communities.
How do you envision the future of the PACE subcommittee on the NK issue, if the Armenian side doesn't' accept it?
"I can express my position and Azerbaijan's position, and that is to keep working. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the Armenian side. Perhaps Samad Seidov and David Harutyunyan need more time to reach mutual understanding, but I think there is no alternative to dialogue," said the Azeri deputy.
In response to Seidov's statements, head of the Armenian delegation David Harutyunyan said Azerbaijan had declared several times that it didn't see any terms for cooperation until the issue related to the return of territories wasn't solved. What Seidov says is different from Baku's statements. According to David Harutyunyan, the Armenian side has demanded that the Azeri side present a document stating that Azerbaijan is ready to cooperate without preconditions.
The Azeri side hasn't presented the document, and the Armenian delegation has stopped the unilateral moratorium in this sitting, that is, the criticism against Azerbaijan and the allegations. The Azeri side hasn't followed the rules of moratorium of no mutual allegations from the PACE podium.
Karine Asatryan
Strasbourg
