Arif Yunusov: talks on Karabakh will last long but there will be no war

PanARMENIAN.Net - Talks on Karabakh will last for many years without any result but there will be no war, said Arif Yunusov, head of the Department of Conflictology at the Institute for Peace and Democracy.



"The problem is that each side drags out time, although the talks in the Prague process framework are more favorable for Armenians. The process envisages that Armenia returns three regions, then two more regions. Kelbajar and Lachin will be returned at the end, simultaneously with the return of refugees to Karabakh. In exchange, Azerbaijan is supposed to give consent to conduction of a referendum on Karabakh's status in 10-15 years," he said.



Agreeing to these principles in 2004, the Azeri side made a mistake, according to Yunusov. "It was erroneous to think that things can change in 10-15 years," he said. "A huge gap between positions of the sides hampers the process."



"The Armenian position is as follows: in some 10 or 15 years the West's investments in the Azeri oil will be compensated and the Kosovo model will be applied to Karabakh while Azerbaijan will yield to the West's pressure and relinquish the territory. The Azeri position implies exhausting armament race that will bring to collapse of poor Armenian economy," Yunusov said, adding that the Azeri authorities will not agree to the Prague principles while western investments in the Azeri economy will prevent any possibility of war, Novosti Azerbaijan reports.