09 June 2008, 12:41
Karabakh marks change of Azerbaijani tactics in conflict settlement
At the debate held on June 8 in Stepanakert on the topic "People's Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities", representatives of Karabakh NGOs and state structures registered a change in Azerbaijani tactics towards settling the Karabakh conflict.
The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent informs that the meeting noted that after recognition of Kosovo Azerbaijan is doing everything to create a negative image of Karabakh, which is unable to exist without Armenia, and at the same time trying to prove that Armenia cannot be Karabakh's reliable support.
"Everything's clear in Azerbaijani position. Recently, they've stated at the highest level in Baku that they view the problem-settlement exclusively from the viewpoint of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. The Armenia's position is not so unequivocal - Armenia insists on three principles: non-subordination of Karabakh to Azerbaijan, overland communication of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and international guarantees of safety for people of Karabakh," notes the electronic newspaper "Karabakh-Open.com".
However, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh do not think any settlement being possible without participation of Karabakh itself in negotiations. "Armenia is an independent country. Outgoing from its independence and its interests, it is negotiating with Azerbaijan. But there is the main party of the conflict - the independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). We're rather closely integrated with Armenia; we have a unified economic space and a unified monetary system. However, it doesn't hamper our independence. We cannot speak about such fateful issue like status of Karabakh, not being parties in negotiations," Bako Saakyan, President of NKR, said in his interview to the RBK Agency.
Author: Naira Ayrumian, CK correspondent
