Vardan Oskanyan: "Given the vague and indirect reference to Madrid principles, it is clear that the long existing differences between the parties have become even deeper"

- You have been leading the foreign ministry of Armenia for long, taking an active part in the negotiation process on the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict. You are one of these rare specialists, who are well familiar with the Karabakh problem. What do you think about the adoption of the Moscow declaration on Karabakh by the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia? Can this document be called "an ordinary paper"?

- I don't think this document will add anything to the process. It does not go beyond generalities.  But for someone who can read between the lines, it is very telling. First, in my view, given the Russian mediation and what transpired in Georgia, this document was to affirm the commitment of all involved to non use of force which does not. Second, given the vague and indirect reference to Madrid principles, it is clear that the long existing differences between the parties have become even deeper. Thirdly, Azerbaijan remains fixated on non Minsk process documents advancing one sided solution which are contrary to the letter and spirit of the very document that the parties seemingly remain committed to.

- Why do you think Moscow decided to undertake the resolution of the Karabakh conflict at this moment? Which dividends does Russia hope to take from its mediation mission?

 - It is not unusual that a president of a co-chair country intermittently take such initiative. President Chirac of France has done it before, President Putin on few occasions, even president Bush has done it right after Key West meeting. Today the context and the circumstances under which this meeting has taken place of course are different. Russia clearly would like to demonstrate its leadership in the region and rebuff the criticism leveled against her for recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

- Press says that Moscow is extremely displeased with Sargsyan, who did not justify its hopes. Are the leaders of the unrecognized Nagorno Karabakh also displeased with the Armenian President. How can such moods be called? Do you share this opinion? If it is really like that, why are they displeased?

 - We have heard similar speculations before which I knew were not true. This one is of similar pattern and nature. President Sarkissian's relations with both Moscow and NK leadership seem to be good and friendly, and I have not detected any strains, or seen any particular development that could lead to any complication.

 - Is it possible that today the Kremlin puts pressure on Yerevan for the latter to make concessions in the Karabakh issue? If yes, will Serzh Sargsyan be able to persuade Karabakh Armenians to make concessions in this conflict, as it is not ruled out that under such developments his fate might be the same as of former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan?

- I am not in the inner circles of decision making and cannot say whether there is pressure or not. In the past there has not been any pressure from any quarter. But again the situation in the region and the world is different today. Armenia's president's options, however, for compromise are limited. As far as I sense our public's sentiments, we have already pushed that to the limit in the Madrid document for the sake of reaching a peaceful solution. I really don't see how anyone can sign a document in which Karabagh people's unequivocal right to self-determination, its integral link to Armenia and security are not guaranteed.

- "Robert Kocharyan, Vardan Oskanyan and Tigran Torosyan intend to create a new party. As is known, they have been invited to the "Belaccio" restaurant by Kocharyan's initiative", according to mass media. Is it true? Do you plan to return to politics?
 
- Those rumors are far from being true. I will return to politics one day, but the timing and the form of that will be contingent on the development in and out of the country.

 - Russian analysts say that the independent position of Turkey is favorable for the Kremlin, which scares Armenia that there will be a reorientation of the Russian external policy towards Ankara-Baku and Armenia will be in a difficult state. The quo status in the region, so profitable for Armenia, is violated and Sargsyan is obliged to hold talks in conditions of the complete absence of maneuver...
 
- International relations is not a zero sum game. The possibilities are so many and diverse, that even multitude of bilateral commitments and engagements need not be at someone else's expanse. Russian-Armenian relations are on solid footing, based on mutual political, security and economic interests. Russia's engagement on the Ankara-Baku axis may even be beneficial to Armenia, being the missing piece in that puzzle which could complete the bigger picture of a Caucasus with multiple transportation links rather than complete reliance on Georgia.
 
/Day.Az/