Unease in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 14, 2009 00:00
The roadmap to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia has created questions not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where every step the Yerevan administration takes toward reconciling with Ankara is being closely followed.
Keğam Bağdasarian, the president of the Stepanagert Press Club and an independent deputy in the Nagorno-Karabakh parliament, said the administration in Karabakh supports reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, but will not accept any agreement that excludes the region. He added that the last word on Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to the "Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh," not Armenia.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region is de jure part of Azerbaijan but de facto governed by the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. Since the end of the war in 1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been holding talks mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, to try and resolve the region's disputed status.
"The public in Karabakh lately wants to continue military and strategic cooperation with Armenia, but review bilateral relations with Armenia," Bağdasarian said. "The Karabakh problem is an internal problem. We are the key to the solution and the world must see that."
The Turkish government has been asking Armenia to withdraw from Nagorna Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to the enclave in order to open the borders, a precondition not accepted so far by Yerevan. Although Armenia has consistently said that it will not back down on the Nagorno-Karabakh matter, Bağdasarian has suspicions on the matter."I think the key aspect of the ongoing negotiations between Turkey and Armenia is Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "But I think one should not forget that Nagorno-Karabakh should never be a precondition."
Noting that Turkey had unilaterally closed the Armenian border in 1993 due to the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Bağdasarian said: "The bonds of friendship between Turkey and Azerbaijan are very strong, but it should not be forgotten that Turkey will not be Azerbaijan’s slave forever. I believe Turkey will take more realistic steps when its own interests are on the table."
No solution in near future
Bağdasarian said he is not optimistic about the Nagorno-Karabakh problem being resolved soon. Although he sees the efforts of the OSCE to solve the problem as positive, Bağdasarian also expressed criticisms, saying, "Yes, the attempts are very positive, but the right to self-determination must be respected and steps must be taken in this direction."
Though Nagorno-Karabakh seeks independence from Azerbaijan, one of the main principles of the OSCE is respect for the territorial integrity of its member countries, he said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region is de jure part of Azerbaijan but de facto governed by the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. Since the end of the war in 1994, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been holding talks mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, to try and resolve the region's disputed status.
"The public in Karabakh lately wants to continue military and strategic cooperation with Armenia, but review bilateral relations with Armenia," Bağdasarian said. "The Karabakh problem is an internal problem. We are the key to the solution and the world must see that."
The Turkish government has been asking Armenia to withdraw from Nagorna Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to the enclave in order to open the borders, a precondition not accepted so far by Yerevan. Although Armenia has consistently said that it will not back down on the Nagorno-Karabakh matter, Bağdasarian has suspicions on the matter."I think the key aspect of the ongoing negotiations between Turkey and Armenia is Nagorno-Karabakh," he said. "But I think one should not forget that Nagorno-Karabakh should never be a precondition."
Noting that Turkey had unilaterally closed the Armenian border in 1993 due to the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Bağdasarian said: "The bonds of friendship between Turkey and Azerbaijan are very strong, but it should not be forgotten that Turkey will not be Azerbaijan’s slave forever. I believe Turkey will take more realistic steps when its own interests are on the table."
No solution in near future
Bağdasarian said he is not optimistic about the Nagorno-Karabakh problem being resolved soon. Although he sees the efforts of the OSCE to solve the problem as positive, Bağdasarian also expressed criticisms, saying, "Yes, the attempts are very positive, but the right to self-determination must be respected and steps must be taken in this direction."
Though Nagorno-Karabakh seeks independence from Azerbaijan, one of the main principles of the OSCE is respect for the territorial integrity of its member countries, he said.