Why the international community
is ignoring Nagorno Karabakh point of view?

Vladimir Zakharov
Leading Scientific Researcher
Center of Researches on Caucasus
Moscow State University of International Affairs, Russia

July 7, 2006

Source: Regnum
A non-official translation

Humanitarian aspect is the most important component of the problem of refugees in resolving of any conflict. It is necessary to exclude any type of cherry-pick and bias when considering the measures aiming on restoration of refugees' rights and freedoms.

The measures reflected in recent suggestions of Minsk Group OSCE aiming on restoration of refugees' rights in the zone of Karabakh conflict surprisingly refer solely the Azerbaijan part of the population that had to leave the Nagorno Karabakh and some regions in Armenia. Mediators say nothing about the rights and the freedoms of Armenians, hundreds of thousands of which also had to leave their homes in Baku and other cities of Azerbaijan.

Is not it surprising also a fact that the representatives of Nagorno Karabakh were and still are not invited ever to participate in any negotiations on Karabakh problem? Officials, NGOs, all are being ignored. It is a one-gate game. Minsk Group, European politics listen only one side of the conflict. How can one come to any agreement between two sides of a conflict without listening another side, just ignoring it?

It is a big population living in Karabakh, and all are doing peaceful businesses: the restoration of the roads, civil construction. A Muslim mosque in city Shushi is being rebuilding by Iranian specialists on expense of local Artsakh Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church. A lot is to be done, but people of Artsakh don't lose their hearts.

I just came back from the large international conference in Karabakh together with my colleagues-historians from Moscow, Yerevan, Italy and Germany. We managed to travel to many cities and places in Nagorno Karabakh and saw by our own the peaceful mode of the people, the manner and style of their lives, business, one more time, peaceful business.

I do understand why it is much easier for mediators to initiate a repatriation of Azeri to Karabakh, rather than Armenians to Baku. It is known how dangerous is for any Armenian to go nowadays to Azerbaijan, regardless which country he/she represents, such a travel has a very serious life threatening risk. In the meantime Azeri use to visit Yerevan without any danger: politicians, sportsmen, journalists, all kind of people. It seems that in Azerbaijan society it was artificially spread a total and deep hatred against Armenians, in order to eliminate any chance of their return back to their homes.

However such an unpleasant fact does not take away a responsibility of international community regarding refugees of both sides, regardless their origin and nationality. In case if Armenian side will come up with a good will and will allow Azeri refugees to return back in Nagorno Karabakh than Azerbaijan from its side has to cover all material, financial and moral damages of Armenian population.