Vladimir Sokor: "Armenia is the only country in Europe, which does not hide its territorial claims to another country"

-During the conference on the legal bases of the resolution of conflicts in the GUAM area, held in Baku on April 15-16, you accused Armenia of unconcealed claims for Azerbaijani lands. Could you elaborate on this idea?

-Armenians do not hide their claims not only for Nagorno Karabakh but also for the lands surrounding it, including Lachin and Kelbajar regions of Azerbaijan. This means that Armenia is today the only state on the OSCE area and in the EU neighborhood which openly puts its claims forward.

Russia's claims differ. It states on the paper the respect for territorial integrity of Georgia and Moldova. But in fact it prevents Georgia and Moldova from applying its sovereign right on these territories. There are Russian forces and local illegal formations there. Russia appoints all senior officials on the local level, issue citizenship to the local population, purchases property and so on. And, by the way, it changes the de-facto borders, which are de jure. This means that Russia hinders the sovereignty of Georgia and Moldova and violates their territorial integrity, which is done openly only by Armenia.

-By the way, Sergey Markov, head of the Institute for Political Surveys of Russia, said the following about Russia's role: "Stop developing GUAM, support anti-Russian political regime and Russia's support to Azerbaijan is guaranteed". Don't you think that such announcements are too two-faced?

-Yes, they are. I think Markov and other Russian political scientists reassess the geopolitical, military and even economic importance of GUAM. This organization has not obtained any economic or military functions through the whole period of its existence.

The only effective thing is that GUAM and its member-states manage to take part jointly in the international organizations for political and diplomatic protection of international right in all that are connected with their territorial integrity and the borders, recognized by the international community. This is effective enough, though not too much effective.

Nevertheless, if GUAM countries have listened to the appeals of Markov and other Kremlin political scientists and rejected participation of the Union, Moscow would pit forward new claims.

-What can you answer to the accusations of Russian representatives, continuing to perceive GUAM negatively and stating that this organization has been created to annoy Moscow?

-Such a conclusion is rather a caricature. GUAM was created when there was a possibility for Moscow to use it as a tool for a new so-called integration of the post-Soviet area around Russia as a hegemony. CIS was initially Russia's new tool on the post-Soviet area. It should be confessed that Russia failed in it. But when GUAM was crated there was a prospect to use CIS as a tool against new independent countries. Therefore, it was important for the former, I would say, Soviet colonies, which wanted to become independent following the USSR collapse, to cooperate in the framework of the CIS.

In these conditions, GUAM was a subgrouping in the framework of the CIS aiming to prevent the Russia hegemony. This occurred nearly 10 years ago. The situation has reversed. The CIS has almost died. Frankly speaking, this organization was close to death at that time as well, though not so obviously. Today Russia wants to restore its hegemony more than ever.

-Is it possible?

-Today, there are other players in the area, who were absent 10 years ago. This is the European Union and NATO in a lesser degree. These are also the United States, as an independent player. And if at that time these players were not active, today they are too active.

Each country, which is a part of GUAM, strives for independent integration with the West. The issue of integration with the CIS disappeared for the agenda long ago, therefore each country tries to integrate with the West. Therefore, GUAM acquires new importance. This organization may promote integration of separate member-states with western structures and western economy.

/Day.Az/