LINKS issues study on Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - The British NGO LINKS has a study with the views of Armenian political parties on the Karabakh conflict and conflict resolution process.

The study is based on face to face interviews with 23 senior Armenian politicians held earlier this year. The study launches a program entitled Karabakh: The Big Debate during which the organization will contribute to creating space for more discussion on the Karabakh issue in the region and beyond.

The second part of the study, reflecting the views of Azerbaijani political parties will be published in a few days time.

In an introduction to the publication, LINKS Executive Director Dennis Sammut says that the study “maps out the declared positions of the political parties. It helps the reader to understand the domestic political context in which the Karabakh negotiations are taking place. Despite the fact that neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan are perfect democracies the leaders of the two countries cannot ignore the views of the politically active part of society on this issue, which all agree is of vital importance for both countries”.

A similar study on the views of Armenian politicians in Nagorno Karabakh, as well as Azerbaijanis from Nagorno Karabakh displaced by the conflict is also planned.

In a comment Hovhannes Nikoghosyan, an Armenian local partner who helped conduct the study said: “I find this project a crucial input in the OSCE Minsk Group-managed peace process, since it gives the evaluation of political parties’ position on the ongoing negotiation process. Of course, the ‘voice of non-ruling’ is rather weak in all three subjects of the conflict, but in the undercurrent developments on Armenian sides, for example, in the Parliament between the opposition and ruling coalition, mark that there is no political affiliation at stake when it comes to this particular issue. I would conclude saying that I deem it even more crucial the next round of meetings and interviews with local political forces and NGOs in Nagorno Karabakh Republic, as they are the entirety who is concerned in all of this. Their voice should be maintained lauder.

In a separate note, we are thankful to LINKS and other EPNK partners for implementing this project, together with our organization – the Public Policy Institute, in a good faith.”