News.Az interview with Artem Yerkanyan, a political analyst of the Shant television company and Novoye Vremya newspaper, who attended the Moscow meeting of mass media representatives from Azerbaijan and Armenia.
How do you evaluate the Moscow meeting of media representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan?
I assess it positively. This kind of initiative deserves praise. I think the right format was chosen for the dialogue. The dialogue involved representatives of those professional groups that are capable of forming public opinion and influencing decision-making in their countries.
Were the parties constructive?
Both sides were very constructive. I am pleased that my colleagues from Baku avoided the descriptions and epithets, prevalent in the vocabulary of Azerbaijani politicians. I would especially like to note the constructive position of the ambassador of Azerbaijan in Moscow, Polad Bulbuloglu, who could prove that words taken out of context from his statement of readiness “to fight for the liberation of Karabakh with a gun in my hands” do not really reflect his views on ways to resolve the conflict. However, it seemed to me that too “pacifist” sentiments among Russian colleagues, who were present at the meeting, did not fully reflect the real attitudes of the parties. It seems to me that the discussion should not bypass sensitive issues. I think we can do more than reciting sweet toasts and remembering days gone by when the Armenians and Azerbaijanis were friends and brothers.
Do you think such meetings contribute to the revitalization and development of intergovernmental dialogue?
I would not set us such an objective. Nevertheless, I believe that the development of contacts between journalists really create a favourable climate for a productive dialogue between state figures.
How can the meetings of the intelligentsia and mass media representatives help the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh problem?
In my opinion, such meetings should aim not at contributing to the resolution of the Karabakh problem but at creating conditions in which the parties can understand each other better and inform their communities. If the parties cope with this mission, it would be progress. This will help mitigate the image of an enemy, which will in turn have a positive impact on the negotiations over the conflict settlement.
At the meeting it was noted that the two peoples will have to learn to live together. How can the media contribute to this process?
I think the role of the media in this issue is great. Unfortunately, most of the Armenian and Azerbaijani media today serve different purposes. In general, Baku's printed periodicals and Internet agencies are more aggressive and militaristic than Armenia’s.
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