Oskanian: Armenians believe there will be no new wars in our region
"Through successive meetings of Presidents and Foreign Ministers, we have arrived at a working document that can serve as the basis for a preliminary agreement on Nagorno Karabakh. Today, we met with the top diplomats of the co-chair countries whose concern is that we preserve what we have achieved and go further," Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in his speech at the 15th session of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers.
"We understand and appreciate their special attention and their recognition of the progress made in this process.
"That document addresses the core issue - the security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, through self-determination - as well as the issues of refugees and territories that came about as a result of that self-determination struggle.
"Unfortunately, outside of the negotiation process, there is another, contradictory and disheartening reality. First, there are militaristic calls ringing from the highest levels of Azerbaijan's leadership; second, Baku's systematic, organized hate propaganda has reached frightening levels within Azerbaijan. Third, Azerbaijan's willful obstruction of international envoys entrusted with monitoring the conflict and the region is threatening to upset the fine balance that we have sustained, and fourth, their active and aggressive search for alternative international forums in which to present their case, rebuffs their responsibility to compromise.
"As hopeful as we are that a negotiated settlement is possible, this hostile atmosphere concerns us. Armenians believe there will be no new wars in our region. I know this because we won't start it, and they know they can't win it. There is no military solution for this conflict. The only solution is one based on compromise, and in that sense, this document denies each side their maximalist desires and focuses instead on a sensible, respectable, acceptable solution that can be explained to ordinary people.
"And will make it possible for ordinary people to reconnect over time and across political boundaries in a space split by war and hatred. For this to happen, the extraordinary people, those endowed with the power to lead must demonstrate vision and instill trust, re-create a Caucasus space and contribute to the region's stability and prosperity.
"In this context and as members of this broad and inclusive European organization, we look enviously at the countries of Europe, all of whom, even those who were shaken to the core by the transformation of the world order, have found ways to place problems onto an agenda, without allowing those problems to abort the agenda. Perhaps we in the Caucasus will be next in adopting such European approaches to regional problems," the Minister said.
"We understand and appreciate their special attention and their recognition of the progress made in this process.
"That document addresses the core issue - the security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, through self-determination - as well as the issues of refugees and territories that came about as a result of that self-determination struggle.
"Unfortunately, outside of the negotiation process, there is another, contradictory and disheartening reality. First, there are militaristic calls ringing from the highest levels of Azerbaijan's leadership; second, Baku's systematic, organized hate propaganda has reached frightening levels within Azerbaijan. Third, Azerbaijan's willful obstruction of international envoys entrusted with monitoring the conflict and the region is threatening to upset the fine balance that we have sustained, and fourth, their active and aggressive search for alternative international forums in which to present their case, rebuffs their responsibility to compromise.
"As hopeful as we are that a negotiated settlement is possible, this hostile atmosphere concerns us. Armenians believe there will be no new wars in our region. I know this because we won't start it, and they know they can't win it. There is no military solution for this conflict. The only solution is one based on compromise, and in that sense, this document denies each side their maximalist desires and focuses instead on a sensible, respectable, acceptable solution that can be explained to ordinary people.
"And will make it possible for ordinary people to reconnect over time and across political boundaries in a space split by war and hatred. For this to happen, the extraordinary people, those endowed with the power to lead must demonstrate vision and instill trust, re-create a Caucasus space and contribute to the region's stability and prosperity.
"In this context and as members of this broad and inclusive European organization, we look enviously at the countries of Europe, all of whom, even those who were shaken to the core by the transformation of the world order, have found ways to place problems onto an agenda, without allowing those problems to abort the agenda. Perhaps we in the Caucasus will be next in adopting such European approaches to regional problems," the Minister said.
