Medvedev Has Karabakh Resolution Scheme - November, 2008

Some interesting comments coming out of from Alexander Dugin. And, of all people, look at the second article to see who's talking about Russia not wanting to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh dispute. Yes, the infamous Paul Goble. Are American policymakers this out of touch with reality or are they simply this screwed up?

Arevordi

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Medvedev Has Karabakh Resolution Scheme

November, 2008

Russia has a plan for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict which envisages deployment of Russian peacekeepers and return of civilians who suffered from the ethnic cleansing, a Russian expert said. “It’s important to understand that borders we are speaking about are mere conventions which were hastily recognized as dogmas of the international law, without any historical reason and ethnic factors. All this caused a number of problems, including that of Nagorno Karabakh,” said Alexander Dugin, head of the center of geopolitical expertise, leader of the international Eurasian movement. Re-annexation of Karabakh to Azerbaijan is unreal, according to him. “True, this territory was under Azerbaijan’s control but it was inhabited by Armenians from time immemorial. Presently, Armenians have a certain stand on determination of the land’s status. But the most important goal should be to remove the U.S. from the process, as completely destructive, mentally retarded and immoral force which not only aggravates any situation but also incites new conflicts,” Dugin said. “We can’t divide the world into “good and bad guys”, like Americans do. Removal of the U.S. will considerably improve the situation,” he said. “The European Union is responsible and it can be allowed into the process. So, the main task is to save the region from the U.S. ascendancy,” Dugin concluded, Nakanune.ru reports.

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27527

Russia doesn’t want an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan - Paul Goble

The Russian government doesn’t want an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Paul A. Goble, Director of Research and Publications at Azerbaijani Diplomatic Academy. He suggests that President Dmitri Medvedev may have invited the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to come to Moscow on Sunday for negotiations on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict partly as a way of demonstrating Russia’s preeminent position vis-a-vis the other Minsk Group countries. Goble says that, if Moscow decides it is in its greater interest to back Azerbaijan, there will be in his words a “possibility of movement.” But, he adds, Russia’s geopolitical calculations in the southern Caucasus have clearly changed, The Voice of America reports.

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27532


In related news news:

Caucasian Knot May be Untied in Moscow

Caucasian knot may be untied in Moscow (video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiPrS26dzL0

The presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia are meeting in Moscow to discuss ways of resolving the ongoing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. Also known as the Artsakh Republic, the region, which is inhabited mainly by Armenians unilaterally declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991. An armed conflict broke out, which ended with an unofficial ceasefire three years later, but the region is still in limbo. Seven hundred couples getting married at the same time - that's what you can truly call a mass celebration. Such a large-scale wedding is an unusual event for any place, but especially for Nagorno-Karabakh, a land with a grim past and uncertain future. As the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia meet in Moscow to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, the main question is how effective will the talks be. Aleksandr Karavayev from the Centre for CIS Studies at Moscow State University doesn't expect much from these talks. He does admit, however, that they could serve as a conduit to further meetings. “We shouldn't expect any breakthroughs, but perhaps this new format of talks could help Armenia and Azerbaijan create a new base for further negotiations,” Karavayev says. So far, attempts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute have been mediated by the twelve-member Minsk Group of the OSCE, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France. The idea of a separate, three-way meeting between the two sides and Russia was proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev during his recent visit to Armenia. “France and the U.S. are not regional players in this dispute and can only monitor from outside, but Russia is. The new format doesn't replace the Minsk Group and Washington has already said it's not against this idea,” says Karavayev. Nagorno-Karabakh is mostly populated by Armenians and used to be part of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan in the USSR. In 1991 the region unilaterally declared independence, which resulted in several years of violence and tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the area. Since the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as a number of regions of Azerbaijan in close proximity, remain under joint Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh military control. Armenia remains committed to the region’s independence, while Azerbaijan says its territorial integrity must be respected.

Source: http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/32772

Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree to Work For Caucasus Stability

The leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed on Sunday to work together for improving the situation in the Caucasus and instructed their foreign ministers to intensify efforts to settle the Nagorny Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss a settlement to the conflict. Following the meeting, the three presidents signed a declaration on the Nagorny Karabakh dispute. The declaration calls for a peaceful settlement of the conflict on the basis of international law and decisions and documents adopted within this framework to create favorable conditions for economic development and comprehensive cooperation in the region. Nagorny Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan with a largely Armenian population, declared its independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia in 1988 and has been a source of conflict ever since.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081102/118101761.html

Nagorno-Karabakh Agreement Signed

Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a joint agreement aimed at resolving their dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh at talks near Moscow. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian, agreed to intensify their efforts to find a political settlement. It is the first time in nearly 15 years that such a deal has been reached. Sporadic clashes have continued over Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the signing of a ceasefire agreement in 1994. It is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijan, but controlled by ethnic Armenians. Correspondents say Russia's brief war with Georgia in August has given impetus to international efforts to resolve disputes in the Caucasus, a region where Moscow is seeking greater influence.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7705067.stm

Moscow Declaration to Remain on Paper Without Karabakh Participation

A 5-item declaration was signed by the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on November 2. “It’s not accidental that the declaration was sealed on the threshold of presidential election in the U.S., whose interest to the Caucasus has waned recently,” Andrey Areshev, head of Moscow-based Strategic Culture Fund, commented to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. The declaration is rather vague, what is quite natural in case of complicated conflicts, according to him “The norms of the international law will be interpreted by the sides in compliance with their diametrically opposite approaches to the problem, as it was before. But actually, the agreement to continue peaceful talks is worthy of praise,” Areshev said. “Mention of the OSCE Minsk Group role in the process is, to all appearance, a sedative measure for the U.S. and EU, which always suspect Russia of “imperial ambitions” and whose activity in the Caucasus is conditioned by the wish to secure their economic and strategic interests in the region,” he added. At that, the expert made special mention of item 3 of the declaration, which says that “the sides (including Russia) agree that peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be achieved through international guarantees.” “Neither the degree of these guarantees nor their parameters have been outlined yet. With the status of Karabakh undetermined, deployment of peacekeeping force in the security zone might ‘unfreeze’ the conflict. Resolution is impossible without engaging Stepanakert as a full-fledged party in talks, in compliance with the 1994 Budapest summit agreement and other fundamental documents. The Declaration will remain on paper without NKR’s participation in the process,” he said. “Declaration is an interim step meant to assert Russia’s positions in resolution of Caucasus conflicts. However, attempts to neglect the future status of Karabakh and guarantees of its security are doomed to failure,” Andrey Areshev concluded.

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27549

Mammadyarov: observing international law norms, Baku recognizes right to self-determination

On October 31, Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia met in Moscow to discuss the Karabakh process. “We base on the OSCE record saying that Azerbaijan and Armenia are parties to Karabakh conflict. As to the Azeri and Armenian communities of Nagorno Karabakh, they participated in talks until then-President Robert Kocharian declared that Armenia will continue negotiations on behalf of the Armenian community,” Azerbaijani acting Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said when commenting on Karabakh leadership’s statement that NKR’s non-participation in talks will slow down the settlement process. “There is no need to change the format because we negotiate with Armenia,” he said, 1news.az reports. Touching on RA President Serzh Sarsgyan’s statement that the problem can’t be resolved unless Azerbaijan recognizes the right of Karabakh people to self-determination, Mammadryarov said, “A signatory of the Helsinki Final Act and observer of the international law norms, Azerbaijan recognizes the right of nations to self-determination. However, it doesn’t mean that territorial integrity can be violated by armed intrusion. Moreover, the principle of territorial integrity prevails over that of self-determination in international legal documents.”

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27542