Gegham Baghdasaryan: termination of information war to help peaceful dialogueMay 7, 2010 - 15:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Establishment of the ceasefire in Karabakh in 1994 facilitated negotiations between the conflicting parties but was not enough for the final settlement of the conflict, according to Gegham Baghdasaryan, President of Stepanakert Press Club. “Neither peace nor war situation and absence of any official relations escalated tensions in the region,” he said in a statement. “The ongoing perilous information war involuntarily becomes a kind of artillery training, which may lead to inevitable military outcome with catastrophic consequences for the entire South Caucasus. On the threshold of the 16th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement signed on May 12, 1994, I think it is necessary to introduce a “ceasefire” initiative in the information field as well. I strongly believe that the termination of information war will create favorable conditions for continuation of a peaceful dialogue, will contribute to achievement of real compromises and mutually acceptable decisions on the Karabakh conflict settlement, as well as to approximation of media positions in this issue. I offer heads of media organizations of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh to stop the information war from May 12, 2010. First, this means rejection of publications insulting the honor and dignity of a whole nation and its individual representatives, as well as of materials inciting ethnic dissention and propagandizing war,” the statement reads. The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. U.S. believes peace is “possible” in South Caucasus The United States continues to believe that peace is possible in the South Caucasus, Vedant Patel said. |