“For 2 years Armenian society, politicians and any others demanded Madrid principles’ publication. They were claiming that their future is decided behind their backs and assumed that those principles are horrific. Now they publicized the principles and everybody says that it’s terrible that they publicized the principles. So it had to happen sooner or later,” Caucasus Institute Director, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan told a news conference yesterday. “In my opinion, there are 2 reasons for Madrid principles’ publication. First, it’s impossible to protract a conflict any longer and publication of principles is a method of pressure on both countries’ societies, a way to arise discussions within the society. Second, there might soon occur some significant events in Armenian-Turkish relations before October, and Ankara will be the initiator of those events,” Iskandaryan emphasized. He also added that Madrid principles is a rather raw framework agreement, stressing that within 2 years since the principles were drawn, the parties did not come to an agreement. According to Alexander Iskandaryan, NKR conflict structure does not allow of fast solutions to the issue. According to Iskandaryan many high-rank officials of Turkey announce that in order to open the border with Armenia there should be certain progress. It means they are not speaking about the final resolution. Thus, the government of Turkey may present to their society the last statement of the presidents of the US, Russia and France as a certain progress in the process. “As of the question whether there was any progress I should say that at least the publication of the Madrid principles is a progress,” noted Iskandaryan. “But what had happened was quite long ago. As a result of the development of the negotiation process the Madrid principles were formed. Now these principles have only been publicized. Nothing new happened. Even back then these principles were not secret. The ones, who read newspapers, were able to form a general understanding about those principles. And the details are not clear even now. The parties didn’t come to any new agreement,” added Iskandaryan. As of the noise created around the publication of the principles Iskandaryan thinks that it is a common phenomenon in Armenia. “Almost every 3-4 months a rumor breaks out that the NKR is being sold. But when they see that nothing place the society forgets about the rumor. And then once again someday remembers the statement #389 of Aliyev or Bryza or Medvedev and a rumor is circulated about various speculations. This is an internal process for Armenia,” stated Iskandaryan. Nevertheless, he mentioned that there is one interesting moment noticed in Armenia. “Staring approximately from the period of Rambouiville negotiations (February 2006 – by H.M.) the approach “not a single inch of land” was formed. There were certain marginal groups, who were saying that they are not ready to return any land. Let the NKR be unrecognized but not an inch back. And this approach is strengthening right now. And this is quite characteristic to such conflicts. It’s always hard to return territories even the ones, that don’t belong to you. I’d like to mention another typical Armenian phenomenon. Nobody ever seriously discusses the option of making the NKR an autonomous marz. The mind of the society is just focused on not returning anything to Azerbaijan,” added Iskandaryan. “Azerbaijanis must have forgotten that it was Armenia who forced Azeri part to peace. Armistice was concluded on Baku’s request, we did not need it. We won because we repulsed the aggression,” RA MP noted urging to remember how NKR conflict started. According to him, both conflicting parties are currently forced into ceasefire. When speaking of the ARF’s demand to claim the resignation of the RA foreign affairs minister Edward Nalbandyan the expert said that the foreign affairs ministry didn’t do anything wrong or nothing was new for the ARF because at the time when the parties agreed on Madrid principles, the ARF was in power and could by all means be updated on the principles and status of agreement. “But the ARF should behave the way it is supposed to. It is a part that deflected the collation and has certain electorate, support on part of the Diaspora and thus reacts the way it should have.” When speaking of the contents of the publicized document Iskandaryan mentioned that it is the package version of the solution. According to him, one clear is for sure – the former NKR territory and the neighboring territories are separated. And the referendum is a mechanism of the determination of the status of the NKR. “It is a mechanism because if you know who’s going to vote you know what the outcome of the voting is going to be,” said Iskandaryan and added that all the other points, such as the return of the refugees are quite unclear and disagreed yet.
