Refugee Issue Should Be Considered Proceeding from Reality

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nagorno Karabakh's condition is beneficial as compared to the other unrecognized states. It has a security zone or "seized territories", Chief of the Department of CIS Countries of the Russian Institute of Strategic Research, Candidate of Historical Sciences Alexander Skakov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net In his words, it would be hard to preserve the current status quo, since the powers interested in its violation are too influential. "Azerbaijan is rapidly gaining financial, economic, military and demographic resources and Armenia should reckon with it. A serious choice between war and compromise should be done. Neither of the sides is ready to choose," he remarked.



The Russian analyst considers that in future with the presence of good will it can be possible to speak of the formula of "peace and status in exchange for territories", that is of the establishment of a new border of independent Karabakh. "I perfectly know that Stepanakert will not compromise over Lachin and Kelbajar, but there are other regions which are not so problematic to cede. As for the refugee issue, there are well known approaches to exchange of population, territories and material compensations. Modern history records no single case of complete return of refugees. When resolving it one should proceed from reality but appeal to the graves of the ancestors. It's possible to achieve progress with good will and mediation. Of course, it does not mean that the problem of Nagorno Karabakh may be settled in 2006 or 2007. The process will be long. Talks always take more time than war does," Alexander Skakov underscored.



He also remarked that the sides should stop appealing to history. Each side has its arguments. To decide who is right one should be not only a historian but also an impartial specialist of the issue. "Now it resembles dialogue of two deaf people. No one in the West or in Russia is intends to of into details. The ethnic right to the territory confirmed by history is not absolute and obligatory for us. Proceeding from the logic of ethnic right for territory Russia should demand Crimea from Ukraine and give Eastern Prussia to Germany. European states, not to mention the U.S., experience the same problems. Similar situation is the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts," the expert said.

Full text of the interview