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Last edited on March 10, 2000
Karabakh Talks Threatened By Political Turmoil,
Oskanian Warns
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)Internationally-sponsored negotiations to
end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have been stalled by continuing
government in-fighting in Armenia, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
said on Wednesday, in a stark warning to the opponents of President
Robert Kocharian.
The latest war of words between Kocharian and his government
rivals, Oskanian said, prevents the Armenian side from reaching a
peace deal with Azerbaijan on the disputed Karabakh enclave.
"The negotiations have stalled and the main reason for that is the
political situation in Armenia," the minister told the parliament.
"In these conditions, it's hard to hold peace talks, make promises and
reach agreements. As long as the political situation doesn't improve I
see no way we can work seriously in that direction," he said.
Oskanian complained that due to the government turmoil he has
"reduced to minimum my activities abroad," having made no foreign
trips in the last three weeks.
Kocharian and his Azeri counterpart Haydar Aliyev reportedly made
major progress on Karabakh after a series of direct talks last year.
The peace process was considerably slowed by the October 27
assassinations in parliament.
Allies of Prime Minister Aram Sargsyan, notably the Yerkrapah
Union of Karabakh war veterans, favor a hard line on the settlement
of the conflict with Azerbaijan.
Oskanian reiterated that the parliament assassinations in Yerevan
have had a "very negative" impact on the process sponsored by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The OSCE's Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia
and France has been trying to revise its most peace plan to make it
acceptable to Azerbaijan.
Copyright 2000 Noyan Tapan, Armenpress, RFE/RL
NATIONAL RESISTANCE MOVEMENT
By FAZIL Gazanfaroglu
The idea of forming National Resistance Movement was more actual during the
formalization of opinion on the break-up of foreign policy course of the
Azerbaijani government in society. Especially, there have been several time
observed that political parties of the country drew this topic at the
center of attention of society in the eve of international ceremonies that
prognosed dangerous results for the state interests of Azerbaijan.
Firstly, the efforts towards forming the National Resistance Movement [NRM]
held in silent atmosphere and may be for that reason it could not find its
solution. If there was preferred the variant of forming NRM by parties
before, the long-term discussions showed that it was impossible. Because,
the Popular Front and Musavat parties suggested restoring the NRM that
formed in 1994, but the National Independence Party preferred forming new
NRM. The Democrat Party related the former NRM with the Bishkek protocol
and was stating that the new variant would be more stable unifying model
for the parties.
Besides the leading political parties separate political blocs were holding
wide discussions around this issue, too. Even a draft regulation, activity
program of NRM was prepared and appreciated in the discussions held with
the Democratic Congress. But the difference of opinions among the political
parties caused beginning of this activity by the Azerbaijan Intellectuals
Union, one of the influential public organizations of the country. The
Union began a signature campaign and over 200 organizations including the
political parties of the country joined to this campaign.
On February 26 2000, the Consultation Forum of the Intellectuals Union has
founded the National Resistance Movement. The main reason of forming the
NRM is shown as violating the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as a
result of military aggression of Armenia, occupation of over 20 percent of
the Azerbaijani territories by Armenians, finishing the negotiations,
political and diplomatic activities held for achieving a fair peace after
the "cease-fire" agreement in 1994 without any results, and others.
The political parties, public organizations, and independent intellectuals
have chosen the target of achieving to increase national resistance force
of Azerbaijani society for protecting its territorial integrity by forming
this movement. The goals of the movement are attracted in the statement of
the founders. There has been formed a working group consisting of leading
party representatives and influential intellectuals for preparing the
Regulations and activity program of the movement. It is supposed that the
NRM will recently begin its activity after adopting the regulations of the
movement. There are, especially, planned holding serious actions against
being signed any capitulating act on Karabakh problem.
It is prognosed that the Azerbaijani government will recently face with
strong demands of NRM of 200 organizations and independent intellectuals.
There is a great probability that this movement considered as a serious
control mechanism on willful steps of the government towards the solution
of Karabakh problem would do real works.
A Z E R B A I J A N BULLETIN -14 (212),March 09 2000 [ENGLISH]
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 13:30:43 +0400
____________________________
Armenian News by Noyan Tapan, RFE/RL and Armenpress, March 8, 2000
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 14:08:37 -0800 (PST)
#########################################################################
HL NOTE: Some or all of the following news articles ignore such basic
facts that:
1) Karabakh region of Azerbaijan was, is, and will remain to be a
legitimate and internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan;
2) Karabakh, and seven other regions are illegally occupied by
armed forces of the Republic of Armenia, the aggressor;
3) Puppet and self-proclaimed (Nagorno) Karabakh Republic ("NKR") is an
illegitimate and criminal entity, not recognized by any international
organization or state;
4) As of 1992, Khankandi has been restored as an official historical name
of the town, that was renamed to Stepanakert by J. Stalin in 1923
#########################################################################
Karabakh Economy Development Elaborated
YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan) "The post-war recovery of
Karabakh's economy requires more that one year, and the
government has worked out a strategic program of economic
development until 2010 which consists of 22 separate sub-programs
of developing individual agricultural spheres," Nagorno Karabakh
Republic Prime Minister Anushavan Danielian said in an interview
with NKT National Television. The goal of the program is to make
Karabakh a politically and economically strong state.
Danielian said that the aforementioned programs have already been
launched. Special attention is being paid to the peopling of the
country, the borderline regions in particular. A special program of
peopling borderline villages has been elaborated. A successful
implementation of the program depends on the creation of jobs.
According to Danielian, up to 2,500 jobs must be created in the
country yearly. 500 new jobs have recently been created on the funds
allocated from the state budget.
The prime minister stressed the importance of the implementation of
the energy development program in the country, which will yield a
profit of $14-15 million. The program, scheduled to be launched this
year, provides two large and 18 small hydro-power stations.
Among the most important programs is the development of
agriculture and agro-industrial complexes. He stressed the need for
the designing and the installation of an irrigation system which will
meet the requirements of the Karabakh agricultural sector. Five-six
reservoirs are expected to be constructed for the purpose of
supplying water not only to the agricultural sector, but also to the
whole country.
Addressing the prospects for investments in the country's economy,
Danielian pointed out that a favorable investment atmosphere and a
relevant legal basis are being created. In particular, the tax burden
was relieved which had a positive effect on both businessmen and the
state.
Commenting on the results of his last visit to Switzerland, Italy and
Hungary, Danielian pointed out that despite Baku's repeated protests,
a number of foreign companies, including, the Swiss "Frank Muller"
and "Andre Group," affirmed their willingness to launch business
activities in Karabakh.
TRANS-CASPIAN GAS PIPELINE EXTENSION TO BE BUILT IN ARMENIA
Turan agency, March 02, 2000
The US is considering the possibility supplying gas to Armenia via the
Trans-Caspian gas pipeline after the Karabakh conflict is resolved,
announced Yan Kalitsky, the advisor to the US Commerce Department on trade
and economic relations with the newly independent states. Kalitsky says
that Armenia should not participate in construction of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline. As an alternative, Washington offered Yerevan to extend the
future Trans-Caspian gas pipeline via Georgia.
Kalitsky made this offer during his meeting with the Armenian authorities
on February 28-29. He also spoke about the possibility of Armenia
receiving Azerbaijani oil if it settles its disputes with Azerbaijan.
Copyright 2000 Agency WPS
THE RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS REPORT
ANS News, March 7, 2000
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 00:41:31 -0800 (PST)
NATIONAL RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IN GANJA GETS NEW OUTLINES
The Ganja-based Young Democrats held another session
during which it was decided to found a national resistance
movement anew. The Young Democrats rated as a
downheartedness the fact that the Azeris stopped their
national resistance movement after the Bishkek protocol
was signed in 1994. According to them, the need in
creating such a structure was caused by the necessity to
increase the youth?s activity from the ideological point
of view and from the viewpoint of organizing Karabakh's
defense. For now, the Young Democrats are planning to
conduct propaganda among Ganja students and pupils.
Shahla Abdinova
Noyan Tapan and Armenpress News, March 7, 2000
Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 01:04:47 -0800 (PST)
Kocharian, Ghoukassian Discuss Karabakh Situation
YEREVAN (Armenpress)-Armenian president Robert Kocharian and
Nagorno Karabakh Republic President Arkady Ghoukassian met
March 6 to discuss the political situation in Karabagh and
exchange viewpoints on socio-economic conditions and
possible means for their improvement, reported the
presidential press office.
Kocharian signed a decree on senior military posts the same
day.
Copyright Habarlar-L
Edited on March 6, 2000
UPPER KARABAKH: PEACE INSTEAD OF TERRITORY
By FAZIL Gazanfaroglu
The new initiatives in the regulation of Upper Karabakh problem inform that
this problem will take the main place in the agenda in 2000, too. The
negotiation process that is planned to be held in the US by the moderation
of Madeleine Albright, American State Secretary, have been postponed by not
coming to an agreement the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides.
The Armenian president has stated the necessity of the participation of
Iran in the negotiation process and stated that in case of not realizing
his wish, he would refuse visiting the US. By this act, the Armenian side
is taking the negotiation process to deadlock.
First of all, in some analyses, the Armenian president Robert Kocharian
abstains from putting serious steps because of facing with serious problems
within Armenia. And the Azerbaijani leadership does not approach positively
to the participation of Iran in the negotiations. It is related with a fare
that the moderation of Iran in Upper Karabakh conflict has been resulted
with a tragic end for Azerbaijan several times before.
On the other hand, the participation of Iran in the negotiations could help
increasing the weight of forces supporting the positions of Armenia in the
Minsk group like France and Russia. Besides, taking into consideration the
fact that the US does not also positively appreciate the issue of Iran's
participation, there could be formed a condition not facing the interests
of Azerbaijan.
Several statements of Kocharian on rejecting the suggestion on achieving to
peace by changing the territories given by Heidar Aliev has caused a
serious resonance among the political circles of Azerbaijan. Taking the
tactical plan of official Azerbaijan, a little changed form of this plan
that put forward by the American senator Poll Gobble has faced with
interest. The leading oppositional forces have stated the possibility of
presenting this suggestion to the Armenian side, and besides it, considered
that the regulation of the conflict by the exchange of territories is
against the interests of Azerbaijan. It is also prognosed that by
supporting this suggestion Azerbaijan will stand face-to-face with the fact
of compromising Armenia in the status of Upper Karabakh, and Azerbaijan`s
claims on carrying out the resolutions of the UNO will be forgotten.
In fact, after putting such step Armenians stop being an enclave in
Karabakh and be close to becoming a part of Armenia. The oppositional
representatives does not consider real the settlement of other issues for
now besides the agreements on using of communication lines between Upper
Karabakh and Armenia, and Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan without any obstacle.
In any case, though the level of preparations for beginning mass political
measures on Karabakh is not so higher as during the OSCE`s Istanbul summit,
the oppositional forces are insisting on preventing the government to sign
a capitulating contract concerning the issue.
AZERBAIJAN DEMOCRACY MONITOR FEBRUARY 2000 N-14 (15) [ENGLISH]
Date: Mon, 6 March
-------------------
Interview of the Armenian Foreign Minister H. E. Vartan Oskanian
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 17:12:56 +0400
"Golos Armenii", March 4, 2000
Public Affairs Department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry
Q: How do you assess the current stage of negotiations surrounding the Nagorno-Karabagh
conflict?
A: In order to evaluate the Nagorno Karabagh peace process at any given point or any other peace process for that matter, and the prospects for their peaceful resolution, one must look to see what favorable conditions are prevalent at that point which can contribute to their final solution. Today, the conditions that have come to surround the Negorno Karabagh negotiations are quite positive. As the process moves forward, these positive developments will serve as the basis for the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The first of these circumstances is the internationalization of the Nagorno Karabagh issue through the creation of the OSCE Minsk Group in 1992. This was a clear manifestation of international community�s recognition that Nagorno Karabagh is an ethno-territorial unit which has genuine historic and legal grounds to seek a change in status.
Second is the lawful participation of Nagorno-Karabagh in the negotiations process within the OSCE
framework. This was sanctioned in March 1993 in Prague during the meeting of the OSCE Committee of Senior Officials, and reaffirmed in 1994 at the OSCE Summit in Budapest. Nagorno Karabagh�s participation as an equal party in the negotations is based on such established and confirmed legal foundations that any parallel process, including the dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, can�t diminish the legitimacy of that fact.
The third circumstance is the international community�s support and understanding for the resumption of
negotiations without any preconditions. This notion was expressed through the "Common State" proposal
presented by the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group in the fall of 1998. Furthermore, the absence of any conditional language pertaining to the Nagorno Karabagh status in the OSCE Istanbul Summit documents, has once and for all diminished the political value of the preconditions declared at the OSCE Lisbon Summit in 1996.
And the fourth circumstance is Azerbaijan�s acceptance of the principle of a peaceful resolution for the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, through compromises. This has been expressed countless times during the meetings of the two presidents during the past year.
The four conditions stipulated above have been attained at different stages. Together, they reflect more
accurately the nature and essence of the conflict and the current realities on the ground, and at the same time, they create stronger legal and political reasons for the peaceful resolution of the issue.
Q: During the OSCE Istanbul Summit, the president of the republic proposed the creation of a security and stability system for this region. How has this new initiative of Armenian diplomacy been received?
A: This initiative has resonated among the republics of the Southern Caucasus as well as with those
states which play a role in the region. The idea is still being distilled and clarified, because each side is approaching it from its own, sometimes selfish/self-centered, interests. We must not allow the region�s very fragile, volatile stability to evaporate into thin air and result in the creation of new dividing lines and new poles. Other countries have come up with their own versions of such an arrangement. Still, Armenia�s proposal remains the most inclusive and comprehensive, and we are prepared to continue to exert all efforts in this direction.
Q: In December 1999 you had stated that the continued tension between the US and Russia
could make it difficult for Armenia to maintain its policy of complementarity.
How do you assess that situation, today?
A: I believe that Armenia has always successfully implemented the policy of complementarity. Armenia has strategic partnership agreement with Russia, as well as high-level friendly relations with the US. I am sure our relations with both countries will deepen.
Armenia rejects the East-West divide, because with the end of the Cold War, there is no longer the kind
of confrontation based on contradictory ideological values which dominated international relations for decades.
This is also our appeal to official Baku which continues to utilize the paradigm of the Cold War, not so much for its own good, but rather to do Armenia harm.
Together with the notion of complementarity, I must stress the other principles of our foreign policy: political realism and positive engagement. It is this combined approach that guides us in our efforts to developing a security and stability pact. Although the existence of various conflicting interests in our region could lead to their collision, we continue to be optimistic and prefer to utilize all efforts to prevent the possibility of such a development and to firmly secure the current environment of cooperation in the region.
(End of the message)
Habarlar-L
