Armenia has failed to make a choice between territorial claims or peace and economic development since end of last century: U.S. expert

Day.Az: Many accepted the recent visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to Russia and agreements reached as a starting point of improving relations between Moscow and Washington which is also expected to have a good impact on joint solution of the problem. To what degree the nature of the U.S-Russia relations, key mediators in the OSCE Minsk Group, will impact resolution of the Karabakh problem?

Vladimir Sokor: I think that the solution does not depend or depends to a small extent on the relationship between the United States and Russia. No matter how these relations are developed, the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict must be reached on the spot, that is not between Washington and Moscow but between the parties to the negotiation process. So, I think, the bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia almost had no influence on multilateral negotiation process on Karabakh.

Q: Can the Karabakh problem be solved by military ways?

A: I think is it early to talk about it. President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly said that Azerbaijan, as a sovereign nation, retains the right to use military means and methods to solve the conflict, that is to restore its territorial integrity. Azerbaijan has the right to do so, but only when all political and diplomatic means are exhausted. Search for these methods is continuing with the active support of Azerbaijan.

Q: Meanwhile, Armenia continues to be worse off: it has remained aloof from all regional projects and economic crisis is deepening in the country. Can Armenians go to the solution of the conflict sacrificing territorial claims in exchange for real prospects for the normalization of life and economic growth?

A: This is a very complex issue that has been discussed at least over the last 10 years. Even in 1997, 12 years ago, then President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan begun a public discussion on this topic. According to his argument, Armenia should make this choice between territorial ambitions, keeping of other people's land, that is the territory of Azerbaijan or normal development in economic and social terms. Ter-Petrosyan said that Armenia should choose the second option. And so he was overthrown. In 1999 the then Prime Minister of Armenia Vazgen Sarkisian seemed to have come to the same conclusion like Ter-Petrosyan. He wanted to begin a policy of rapprochement and settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This means the return of five to six regions to Azerbaijan in the first phase. Vazgen Sarkisyan was killed in the Parliament. This conspiracy has not yet been disclosed.

So the debate continues over the years. Armenia is still faces the same dilemma - the normal socio-economic development and the ambitions of territorial expansion.

/Day.Az/