Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend / The activities of the OSCE Minsk Group in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not accepted unilaterally among the Azerbaijani public.
Siyavush Novruzov, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party:
Answer: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries regard the conflict side unfairly. The United States wants to solve the conflict shortly and cancel the military preconditions. It does not make any difference to Washington who will be favored in the resolution of the conflict. France is a great friend of France and supports at the first opportunity. Russia uses the Karabakh problem as a source to pressure in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and even Georgia. The unsettlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is of Russia's interest. Moscow hinders the resolution of the conflict. The co-chairs could not reach a progress in the settlement of the conflict and I estimate their activities negatively.
Armenian should demonstrate political will to achieve the resolution to the conflict. As the settlement of the conflict is delayed as it is profitable for Azerbaijan. In future Azerbaijan can resolve the conflict in its favor in an easy way. At present I give preference to the peaceable resolution of the conflict, but still do not rule out the armed solution.
Panah Huseynli, a member of the opposition parliamentary group:
Answer: There is a grounded opinion in the Azerbaijani society about the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, in 2007 some milestones in the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group deserve attention. For the time the co-chairs put forward proposal which can be discussed Azerbaijan and Armenia. So, it will be possible to have an exact estimation of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group in 2008. It will be profitable to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a peaceable way. However, Azerbaijan should be prepared to the rehabilitation of its territorial integrity even through war. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be restored anyway. It is necessary to select the variant which will result in minimum loses.
MP Anar Mammadkhanli, bipartisan
Answer: Becoming powerful, Azerbaijan should itself resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs failed to achieve any result. Therefore, its activities cannot be estimated positively.
The conflict can be resolved in an armed way and I consider this variant more real and actual.
Guler Ahmadova, a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party:
Answer: I negatively estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group. The conflicts should be resolved in peaceable.
MP Asim Mollade, the chairman of the oppositional Azerbaijan Democratic Party:
Answer: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs could not achieve serious progress in the resolution of the conflict. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs do not treat the conflict sides fairly and do not distinguish the aggressor country from the country imposed to aggression. Therefore, I estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group negatively.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be solved in a peaceable way with in the framework of the international law and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan through the support of the international organizations and powerful countries.
MP Aydin Mirzazade, a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, an Azerbaijan parliamentary representative to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe:
Answer: As compared to previous years, in 2007 the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs demonstrate activity. The conflict sides were presented proposals differing for their constructivism.
Therefore, the OSCE Minsk Group's activities in 2007 can be estimated positively. However, the co-chairs should use properly their opportunities in the solution of the conflict. The application of military and peaceable variants in the resolution of the conflict is real equally. Long occupation of the Azerbaijani lands by Armenia makes Baku to consider the armed solution to the conflict.
MP Asef Hajiyev, bipartisan
Answer: It would not be right to estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk positively or negatively. The negotiation process is progress. The co-chairs should be more active. However, equal approaches towards Azerbaijan and Armenia does not suit me. I wish peaceable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
There are hopes for the peaceable resolution of the conflict. Unless the talks yield any result, Azerbaijan will be obliged to seek other ways, including the armed variant.
Ildar Ibrahimov, a member of the Political Board of the New Azerbaijan Party, the chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission:
Answer: I always criticized the OSCE Minsk Group's activities. However, in 2007 the activity was observed in the co-chairs' activities and new proposals were submitted to the conflict sides. Therefore, I appreciate the OSCE Minsk Group's activities. The non-resolution of the conflict for the along time can not positively estimated.
War can be broken out any time. However, we do not want the Azerbaijani citizens, first of all the young people to die in war. Therefore, I prefer the peaceable solution to the conflict.
Ilyas Ismyilov, the chairman of the opposition party Adalat:
Answer: The OSCE Minsk Group cannot solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, because the resolutions adopted by the OSCE are not legal of character, or obligatory for the countries. A resolution by the OSCE is of recommendation character. Armenia is unwilling to follow these recommendations. The OSCE Minsk Group is accused of implementing pro-Armenian policy. Nothing will change even if the OSCC Minsk Group co-chairs are replaced with Azerbaijan's allies - Turkey or Pakistan. The OSCE Minsk Group's activities are directed at the distracting and lingering the conflict
It is impossible to avoid the war. We must seriously prepare for the war.
MP Rabiyyat Aslanova, a member of the Political Board of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, the chairman of the permanent parliamentary commission:
Answer: In 2007 the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs failed to reach any progress in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It seems the co-chairs are involved in lingering the conflict and take temporizing position. Therefore, there is no ground estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group positively. I regard the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs negatively.
Azerbaijan wants to solve the conflict in a peaceable way, but the victory has been reached yet, So, the armed resolution to the conflict is not ruled out.
Mubariz Gubanly, Deputy Executive Secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party:
Answer: I estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group as medium. I have no will to criticize their work fully. At the same time their work is not so comprehensive. I negatively regard the OSCE Minsk Group's activities, because they did not estimate the Armenia's aggressive policy in the deserved way.
As a person who does not wish the death of Azerbaijani soldiers, I think the Nagorn0Karabkh problem should be resolved through peace. However, I do not exclude the possibility of war.
Igbal Aghazade, the chairman of the opposition party Umid:
Answer: I was not informed about the work done by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for the resolution the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. We are not informed about the state of talks at this stage. So, I cannot estimate the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group.
I cannot say how to resolve the problem - through peace or in an armed way, because I am not aware of issues discussed at the negotiations, as well as proposals made in this respect and state of the Azerbaijani Army.
The inquiry was made by Imdad Alizadeh
Note: The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.