Interviews with Azerbaijani MP, professor Musa Gasimli.
Q: Russian and French Foreign and Defense Ministers met in Moscow discussing Karabakh conflict settlement around other issues. What has caused the discussion of Karabakh conflict in such a format by two of the three Minsk Group co-chairing states?
A: The meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in Kazan mediated by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev on 24 June 2011 made it clear that the negotiations around the Karabakh conflict are deadlocked. As a rule, after the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Foreign Ministers discussed coordination of specific details. But I believe that the current meeting of the Foreign and Defense Ministers of Russia and France discussing the issue of Karabakh settlement is a sign of prospect of the start of a new process around the conflict settlement. It is not a secret for anyone that the influence of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries depends largely on their approach to this problem.
The past period has showed that the activity of the co-chairs is not satisfactory, the Azerbaijani community has a negative attitude to their activity, because the OSCE Minsk Group since the moment of its creation in 1992 until now failed to fulfill its tasks. In other words, the occupied lands were not liberated, Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons did not return home, issues related to open communications remain unsettled, discussions around the status of Nagorno Karabakh were not launched in the indicated period.
This situation undermines the authority of the Minsk Group co-chairing states, forming a negative opinion about them, creating suspicions about the sincerity of their intentions. I think that the discussion of the Karabakh conflict by Russian and French foreign ministers must be assessed as a launch of new initiatives on the way out of the situation around the conflict. The mediators are determined to reanimate the negotiation process.
Q: Who do you think was the initiator of consultations between Russia and France on Karabakh conflict?
A: I think that the Karabakh conflict settlement undermines Russia’s positions in this region. Russia will have to sponsor Armenia unless it defends it, ignoring the fair position of Azerbaijan. Clearly, Armenia won’t be able to stand through this assistance. To be a real superpower, Russia needs to cooperate with Azerbaijan. Additionally, despite the absence of the strong Armenian lobby in France, official Paris must also be interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Therefore, it is not possible to say that the initiative of consultations between Russia and France on the Karabakh conflict settlement comes solely from one party. As a rule, such meetings are not held when one of the parties does not show any interest.
Q: May EU intensify in the Karabakh conflict settlement?
A: EU has interests in the South Caucasus region. But I think that the mediation of one of the countries represented in the Minsk Group around Karabakh conflict will further protract the process.
Q: Is there a need for the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet unless the disputable points in peaceful agreement on Karabakh are coordinated?
A: We should not refuse any chance of holding talks to attain peace. But the Armenian president cannot be considered a state figure, because his hands are in blood. He is the one who took part in the terror acts and people’s murder. Therefore, psychologically it is very difficult to sit at the same table with such a person. In other words, on one side of the table sits the Azerbaijani president who is perfectly well aware of events in the international arena and on the other side is the Armenian president, a murderer and terrorist.
Nonetheless, despite it all, Serzh Sargsyan is the Armenian leader which is why despite difficulties, we need to continue talks with him.
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