US diplomat sees no Garabagh solution without concessions
Marie Yovanovitch, the US Ambassador to Armenia, has said the
United States sees a long road ahead to settle the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh and both
sides will have to make concessions to move the peace process
forward.
"There are some points that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed upon. However, a settlement to the conflict will be challenging for the parties. Both sides will have to make certain concessions," Yovanovitch said, adding that the two countries should put forth political will to concede.
The ambassador believes that neither Baku nor Yerevan will be eventually content with the solution to be reached, since both sides have their own point of view on Garabagh settlement.
"In addition to the process of normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations, we hope for a peaceful, fair and final settlement of the Garabagh conflict. The [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs - France, Russia and the United States – will continue assisting Azerbaijan and Armenia by working in concert on finding a solution based on the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity and self-determination of nations."
The Garabagh conflict emerged during the last few years of the Soviet Union. 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent districts, has been under Armenian occupation since the two South Caucasus republics signed a precarious cease-fire in 1994 following a lengthy war. OSCE-brokered peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.
Yovanovitch reminded that during the OSCE ministerial held in Athens in December 2009, the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers announced some of the conflict settlement principles, notably, the return of the territories surrounding Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control, Upper Garabagh’s interim status and providing security guarantees to Upper Garabagh while ensuring a corridor linking Armenia with the region.
Yovanovitch said the U.S. would do everything in its power to assist Azerbaijan and Armenia’s efforts to achieve a solution on Upper Garabagh.
The US diplomat said the responsibility for accomplishing progress in peace talks rests with the two countries’ governments, and the status quo does not meet either side’s interests. For this reason, Yovanovitch sees the need for achieving a compromise solution to the long-standing dispute.*
"There are some points that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed upon. However, a settlement to the conflict will be challenging for the parties. Both sides will have to make certain concessions," Yovanovitch said, adding that the two countries should put forth political will to concede.
The ambassador believes that neither Baku nor Yerevan will be eventually content with the solution to be reached, since both sides have their own point of view on Garabagh settlement.
"In addition to the process of normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations, we hope for a peaceful, fair and final settlement of the Garabagh conflict. The [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs - France, Russia and the United States – will continue assisting Azerbaijan and Armenia by working in concert on finding a solution based on the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity and self-determination of nations."
The Garabagh conflict emerged during the last few years of the Soviet Union. 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent districts, has been under Armenian occupation since the two South Caucasus republics signed a precarious cease-fire in 1994 following a lengthy war. OSCE-brokered peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.
Yovanovitch reminded that during the OSCE ministerial held in Athens in December 2009, the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers announced some of the conflict settlement principles, notably, the return of the territories surrounding Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control, Upper Garabagh’s interim status and providing security guarantees to Upper Garabagh while ensuring a corridor linking Armenia with the region.
Yovanovitch said the U.S. would do everything in its power to assist Azerbaijan and Armenia’s efforts to achieve a solution on Upper Garabagh.
The US diplomat said the responsibility for accomplishing progress in peace talks rests with the two countries’ governments, and the status quo does not meet either side’s interests. For this reason, Yovanovitch sees the need for achieving a compromise solution to the long-standing dispute.*