Interview with Dennis Sammut, Executive Director of LINKS.
Q: How fruitful was the meeting of the three Presidents in Sochi?
A: It is important that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan continue talking and the opportunity that the president of Russia has created for such meetings since 2008 is an important part of the process. The fact that three presidents could go skiing together after the discussions helps to ease the atmosphere, especially on the front line.
It was however disappointing that we as yet still do not have an agreement on how a proper peace process can be started, so clearly there is a long way to go.
Q: The sides have agreed to complete the exchange of prisoners of war as quickly as possible. Some experts don’t accept this agreement as a serious one, saying that it is just Russia’s attempt to show itself as a successful mediator. How would you comment on that opinion?
A: One can only welcome the agreement on the exchange of prisoners. These are small confidence building measures that help ease tensions.
However they are no substitute to a proper peace negotiations. These discussions need to move on from simply managing the cease fire to more meaningful negotiations that would enable Armenians and Azerbaijanis to live together in peace.
Q: The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group said in a statement on 9 March that the OSCE chairman-in-office's special envoy would investigate, together with representatives of all sides, reports of cease-fire violations. The statement comes after an Azerbaijan child was killed by sniper fire as he played outside his home in the village of Orta Garvand, close to the contact line separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. What should be done to prevent violence?
A: The continued loss of human life on the “line of contact” is tragic enough when those involved are soldiers. When the victims are civilians, especially children it is particularly disturbing. The incident should ring very serious alarm bells. These incidents have the potential to create a crisis at any time, and not dealing with them is playing with fire.
I am pleased that there is agreement that the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Special representative will investigate these incidents.
Q: Is there any hope for some progress in the Karabakh settlement during the Lithuanian chairmanship in OSCE in 2011?
A: The Lithuanian Chairmanship of the OSCE has put the unresolved conflicts in the OSCE region at the top of its agenda for 2011. Lithuania is an EU member state, but also a former Soviet Republic and thus it can bring an interesting and original understanding to the issues at hand.
However if Lithuania is to make a difference, and not fall in the same trap as previous OSCE Chairmanships, it must be prepared to make bold moves in the short time at its disposal.
Leyla Tagiyeva
News.Az
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