The Demands of the Armenian Sides Are Important Guarantees for the Success in the Negotiations

• 05.15.2016, 13:17
• Liana Hovhannisyan
•  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World,  Armenia,  NKR

The US Co-Chair of the Minsk Group James Warlick in his recent interview spoke about unacceptability of preconditions set by the sides in the negotiation, noting that those preconditions become obstacles for the progress in the negotiations.  The fact that throughout the whole process of the negotiations Azerbaijan spoke in a language of preconditions is not anything new for anyone.  During those years Baku referring to one of the international principles, that is to territorial integrity of states, demanded  bringing out of the Armenian armed forces from the liberated regions presenting it as the only precondition for the progress in the negotiations. Instead Azerbaijan deliberately ignored two other international principles that are unacceptability of use of force or threat of force and right of people to self-determination.

What refers to the necessary conditions for restarting negotiations presented by the Armenian sides after the four-day war in April, those conditions have nothing to do with the opinion expressed by the US Co-Chair. Those conditions not only cannot become obstacles for the progress in negotiations but on the contrary present the most important guarantee for productive negotiations and for their progress.  

For everybody and first of all for the co-chairs it is definite that it is impossible to make a progress in negotiations  when military operations are ongoing on the borders and there are human casualties also among peaceful residents. Only in the presence of the conditions presented by RA President (investigations mechanisms for building trust, addressed statements and guarantees that Azerbaijan will not resort to another aggression and terrorism)  it will be possible to step military operations on the borders which will ensure necessary atmosphere of trust to make certain progress in negotiations. And the fact that this guarantee isn’t present yet is also a result of shortcomings in the co-chairs’ work.   

Viewed from this perspective the recent statement made by the co-chairs at least can be considered hope-inspiring, as they speak about the necessity of the agreement on confidence building measures by the sides. According to them it will result in favorable conditions to restart negotiations on the conflict resolution principles and comprehensive peace agreement. This by itself assumes the agreement on such mechanisms due to which it will be possible to stop bloodshed on the borders without which it is not possible to speak about “favorable conditions” for the negotiations.