Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.18 / Trend S. Suleymanov /
A war doesn't lead to an understanding, only peace and prosperity can promote dialogue between different peoples and cultures, the People's Artist, the Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu believes.
"On the example of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is the most bloody and protracted conflict in the post-Soviet area, I want to reaffirm my thesis that a war does not lead to an understanding," Bulbuloglu said in his speech at the World Forum of Spiritual Culture in Astana.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and its bitter lessons are instructive for all levels of discussions for any kind of dialogue, Bulbuloglu believes. He said a concept of war is the antithesis of a dialogue.
Bulbuloglu is a member of the Group of public diplomacy on Nagorno-Karabakh. The group also includes a professor, the Baku Conservatory rector Farhad Badalbeyli.
"I, as the true native Karabakh resident, cannot remain indifferent to the fact that a peace-loving Azerbaijani people had to endure terrible hardships of war. It is hard to talk about the war, but enduring it is even harder," Bulbuloglu said.
According to Bulbuloglu, it becomes obvious that the Nagorno-Karabakh war has become the detonator of subsequent geopolitical cataclysm and developments destabilizing life in the South Caucasus region.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
"The prosperity of culture can only be at the place, where there is peace and prosperity. The war is not conducive to spiritual renewal," Bulbuloglu said, noting that Azerbaijan has shown itself in the international arena not only as a progressive country, but also a country with ancient civilization and culture.
He noted that conflicts and war lead to the spread of terror. He said the Caucasus couldn't escape this fate.
"We grieve over all victims of terror attacks," he said.