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 Panorama.am interview with Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan

Mister Kocharyan, every day Baku not only poses threats to resume military operations, but on their highest level, pretensions are claimed towards the territories of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia. How would you comment on this?

-It’s obvious that Azerbaijani authorities have finally fallen into hysteria. That kind of panic is a logical consequence to reach the deadlock of perverting policy in the nature of the conflict and its reasons, the basic norms of the international right and the history of the region, since Azerbaijan has been endeavoring to put its own responsibility of the unleashed aggression against self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh on the Armenian side. That panic is inglorious outcome of the policy of rattling the sabre against Armenians, destroying cruelly the historical-cultural heritage of Armenians and other nations in the region. That kind of policy makes Azerbaijan a threat to the regional stability and security and makes it risky particularly for Azerbaijan. It’s time for Baku to stop, isn’t it? Azerbaijan, buried in falsification, stands on the verge of disaster.

Do you agree with the statements in Azerbaijani official campaign that the policy of the running government is the continuation of Heydar Aliyev’s foreign politics course?

-Aliyev junior has inherited the government from his father, but, at least in case of the Karabakhi-Azerbaijani conflict, he has inherited his policy from Elcibey. Once, Elcibey also threatened to occupy Karabakh, Zangezur and other parts of Armenia. And how that adventurous policy ended for Azerbaijan, is well known. Heydar Aliyev recognized the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as a side to the conflict, and authorized his Vice Speaker, Vice PM, Minister of Defense and the head of the military headquarters to hold direct negotiations with the officials of NKR, in 1993 he had negotiations with NKR President Robert Kocharyan in Moscow and in the aftermath of those direct talks a ceasefire regime treaty was signed in 1994 between the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was joined by the Republic of Armenia. When Azerbaijan really needs negotiations, they contact with NKR and don’t try to reject it, like it does Azerbaijan’s running authorities. It wasn’t by chance that Heydar Aliyev was attempting to reach the resolution of the conflict through compromises. He was well aware, who would inherit his power and that failed conflict would be of great danger for Azerbaijan.

So, if we consider that the foreign policy is the continuation of the internal, what are those domestic affairs dictating that course to Baku?

-First of all, it is the desire to keep the power, though he didn’t manage to inherit his father’s authorship. On the background of the events in some Islamic countries, which can be moved in to Azerbaijan, passing of the third term becomes challenging for him. To declare that he has constitutional rights to run a third term, but still doesn’t do it giving preference to harmonious conscience, like once NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan did, Ilham Aliyev cannot – the outlook is different, the values are different, the gap between his activities and his moral are overpowering. Thus, in those flimsy conditions of the clan fighting for the distribution of the revenues of energy resources, Aliyev addresses the armed statements to his domestic audience targeting compensation for deficiency of his authority. It’s a sort of signal to his society that any demonstration against the administration serves to the foreign rival.

Don’t you think that the policy spreading hatred makes it difficult for the regional states to carry out the ideology of good relations?

-Surely, and it’s not by chance that Azerbaijan, irrespective of Armenia and Georgia, disregards great humanist Sayat Nova and his works, a man who is the symbol of mutual respect and good relations of the region. Another symbol has appeared – the symbol of Ramil Safarov who roams with a chopper in his hands. But I wouldn’t like to think that all the Azerbaijani society stands those baits.

In the above mentioned conditions, do you think any advancement is possible in this phase for the normalization of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

-It is possible if Azerbaijan stops using the negotiations as a veil to develop the propaganda of falsifying the nature of the conflict and its reasons and its anti-Armenian hysteria, demonstrates willingness to resume negotiations with the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, ceases its threats, kicks off the implementation of the documents signed by its authorities. Though Azerbaijan attempts not to see the self-determined Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, the obvious facts will be accepted if is not satisfied with the status-quo: a/ NKR has been formed on the basis of people’s right of free self-expression in line with the legislation of the running state and the international norms, b/ the people of NKR has approved its ability to create a sustainable state, in the conditions of the armed aggression of Azerbaijan, c/ NKR is a country having a constitution approved by its people, elections observed by international watchdogs, d/ NKR authorities don’t mourn from different platforms of their territories occupied by Azerbaijan feeling sure that the state control will be restored and willingly through the negotiations.

Even if Azerbaijan makes efforts to show the nature of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a territorial dispute, they will have to claim responsibility for ethnic cleansings against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and for the military aggression involving international terrorist groups against NKR. Referring to Armenia, it has been and is the guarantor of security for NKR and its people, it has set and will set relations with NKR as a de-facto state.
Though still in agenda, Armenia hasn’t recognized de-jure the independence of NKR keeping faithful to the format of the negotiations.
Having its participation in the negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group format, Armenia endeavors to contribute to the advancement of the conflict, but cannot replace NKR: Real advancement is possible only when NKR is engaged into the process as a full participant.

Still what will happen if Azerbaijan keeps faithful to its deconstructive course?

-The international recognition of NKR will follow it. There is no need to name the precedents, since they are not only precedents but regularities.