Interview with former president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, chairman of the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation Goran Lennmarker.
Q: How do you estimate the current situation around the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?
A: First of all, I think that it is time for resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Three things I would like to underline. First of all that it is question of the public opinion in Azerbaijan and in Armenia to have a debate about acceptance of the solution that is good for people of the both countries, because the negotiation process must be accepted by the people of Azerbaijan and also by the people of Armenia. Otherwise there will be no solution and if there is no solution the status quo will be gone and a lot of people will suffer.
In Azerbaijan 700.000 up to one million people that should have the right to go back to their property, to visit the graves. Even perhaps if the most will stay in Baku, they should have the get back their property, their ancient home because it is their fundamental right. And I think that it is time in Azerbaijan to have a debate on that. Because there is a possibility for the solution that is not only for refugees who wish to come back. Another thing from the outside that Europe could do more is that I think to give membership perspective to Azerbaijan and Armenia and Georgia in the European Union. Then it is up to Azerbaijan if it wishes to use it, it is voluntarily and you must wish it yourself, but there is should be a perspective for the European membership and insertion to reach a solution.
Q: Can Europe propose anything aside membership perspective?
A: No, if there is should be a negotiated solution, it should be depended on the negotiation process between the two countries. From the outside we can help to support but the solution cannot be imposed from the outside.
It must be negotiated. It must be a solution which is accepted by the both sides, in other words, the compromise. Nobody will be 100% happy because it is the nature of it. I think that the discussion between Armenia and Turkey could be helpful, and here I have a different opinion with the leadership of Azerbaijan. Because I think that could help the solution. If they could get through their complicated history in the whole manner, I think that could be a good thing for Nagorno-Karabakh. That could help for the solution, because this is the European experience. We all have in a war, for example Sweden had 12 wars with Denmark, 9 wars with Russia and many wars with Poland and Germany. This is a typical European history of the conflicts, and we have to learn to live together with the bothers that are very debatable and discussed.
Q: What about Russian role in this conflict?
A: We should have Russia there as a part of the Minsk Group because that is important. The most important thing is that we could get the solution to the Nagorno Karabakh which will help to the whole Caucasus region. Perhaps also help Russia to have more Russian policy towards its own part of Caucasus, I mean the north part of Caucasus which from the Russian point of view is a big problem.
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