ICG: there is real opportunity to prevent war in Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - If the OSCE Minsk Group could get the parties to the Nagrono Karabakh conflict commit to a document on basic principles, it would be a very valuable achievement, Sabine Freizer, the International Crisis Group Europe program director writes in the The Boston Globe.



Even such a lowest common denominator agreement would help minimize the Nagorno Karabakh issue in the 2008 elections in both countries. Removing the temptation for politicians to play with that fire during the campaign seasons will cool public resistance to talks and ease the way for leaders to start proper negotiations quickly afterward.



When war breaks out, the international community usually wakes up too late. But what if we could stop a war before it starts? What if we could run a test of prevention, on the ground, in a real situation?



We have that opportunity in the case of Nagorno Karabakh, where Armenia and Azerbaijan are preparing to go to war. A real opportunity exists to prevent an explosion before it happens.