Interview with Elman Mammadov, member of the Azerbaijani Parliament and former head of the Khojaly city administration.
Q: What is your assessment of Azerbaijan’s initiative to arrange meetings between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Karabakh?
A: It is hard to predict that the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Karabakh can give impetus to negotiating process on Karabakh conflict. Nevertheless, I think such a meeting would be appropriate and a positive step.
I want to emphasize that I have always opposed people's diplomacy. I've always been against peoples’ visits to Karabakh people before it is freed from under occupation because the citizens of Azerbaijan, visiting Karabakh, enter the office of the head of the unrecognized, criminal entity thus recognizing him as a president.
Q: What is the relevant venue for a meeting between the two communities of Karabakh?
A: Such a meeting may take place only between the communities. In other words, such meeting should not take place in a formal manner, not in the premises of an official body, but in some public place. For example, this may take place in one of the Azerbaijani districts under occupation.
Q: What issues can be discussed between the communities first and foremost?
A: The views of both the Azerbaijani community and Armenian community on what had happened have changed over the 20 years of occupation of Karabakh. In this context, communities need to exchange views and to determine whether they can ever again live together. In other words, they should discuss issues of co-existence.
Q: May Karabakh communities come up with initiative which will contribute to the conflict resolution process?
A: In this period it is difficult to imagine that the parties that have been in conflict for many years will make such proposals in a short time.
Moreover, I do not think that the Azerbaijani community of Karabakh can offer any new idea to solve the problem to the president of Azerbaijan, who participates in negotiations and work on various options of the conflict settlement.
However, I also do not believe that the Armenian community can make any efficient proposals to the person who currently holds the post of president of Armenia. This person has been directly involved in the Khojaly genocide and other war crimes as a field commander.
Q: How realistic is it that during the meeting the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities may agree on a solution of the Karabakh conflict without instructions from Baku and Yerevan?
A: It is hard to imagine that events may develop in this way. In fact, people who hold power in Armenia today are those who gained it through the occupation of Azerbaijani lands.
Q: What is the vision of Karabakh Azerbaijanis on the conflict resolution?
A: We believe that the occupied territories should be freed. There is international legal framework to do this. If we fail to regain the occupied lands through diplomatic channels, we believe that Azerbaijan should do it by force.
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