Garabagh Armenians in fear since disclosure of ``Madrid principles``: report
Armenians living in Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an
Azeri region under Armenian occupation, have lived in fear since
the Madrid principles for the conflict settlement were disclosed, a
Paris-based daily funded by the Armenian lobby reported.
In an article, titled ``the Upper Garabagh Republic and Garabagh population are in fear``, the French-speaking Les Nouvelles d`Armenie (Armenia News) newspaper reviewed the declaration on the Madrid principles adopted at a recent G8 summit in Italy by the leaders of the countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The article pointed out that the United States, France and Russia had emphasized the importance of the basic principles for the conflict settlement presented in the Spanish capital in late 2007, which seek to foster the signing of a peace accord envisioning the security of the self-proclaimed republic and its population and to restore overall stability in the South Caucasus region.
In the declaration, US President Barack Obama, France`s Nicolas Sarkozy and Russia`s Dmitry Medvedev called on Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to resolve their differences and move towards a final accord on the long-standing conflict. The three presidents indicated that they were instructing their mediators to present to Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian ``an updated version of a proposed peace outline brought forward in the Madrid Document of November 2007.`` Among the principles called for in the Madrid Document were ``the return of the territories surrounding Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control and an interim status for Upper Garabagh providing guarantees for security and self-government.`` It also embraced ``a corridor linking Armenia to Upper Garabagh`` as well as a future determination of the final legal status of Upper Garabagh ``through a legally binding expression of will`` and the right of ``internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence.``
The fact the co-chairing states reaffirmed that the entire territory of Upper Garabagh, including the zone between the region and Armenia, is an integral part of Azerbaijan and called for the return of the occupied territories, is opposed by Armenians living in France, in particular, FRA, an association of Armenians which is the local arm of the nationalist Dashnaksutyun Party, known for its bias against Azerbaijan. The group claimed that the Madrid principles blatantly contradict the sentiments of Garabagh`s Armenian residents and called on the Armenian president not to sign what they called a defeatist agreement. The association maintained that all issues pertaining to the future of Upper Garabagh and its population should be resolved broadly through consultations with direct participation of the self-styled republic`s representatives.
Meanwhile, a delegation of FRA executives had discussions at the Armenian embassy in France. They directed pounding criticism at Yerevan`s foreign policy in the past year, including its relations with Turkey, a country which faces long-standing tensions with Armenia. The FRA representatives charged that Armenian policies have been failing and demanded the resignation of Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, who has followed a course they believe is not in line with the Armenian people`s interests.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been without results so far and refugees remain stranded.
In an article, titled ``the Upper Garabagh Republic and Garabagh population are in fear``, the French-speaking Les Nouvelles d`Armenie (Armenia News) newspaper reviewed the declaration on the Madrid principles adopted at a recent G8 summit in Italy by the leaders of the countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. The article pointed out that the United States, France and Russia had emphasized the importance of the basic principles for the conflict settlement presented in the Spanish capital in late 2007, which seek to foster the signing of a peace accord envisioning the security of the self-proclaimed republic and its population and to restore overall stability in the South Caucasus region.
In the declaration, US President Barack Obama, France`s Nicolas Sarkozy and Russia`s Dmitry Medvedev called on Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders to resolve their differences and move towards a final accord on the long-standing conflict. The three presidents indicated that they were instructing their mediators to present to Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian ``an updated version of a proposed peace outline brought forward in the Madrid Document of November 2007.`` Among the principles called for in the Madrid Document were ``the return of the territories surrounding Upper Garabagh to Azerbaijani control and an interim status for Upper Garabagh providing guarantees for security and self-government.`` It also embraced ``a corridor linking Armenia to Upper Garabagh`` as well as a future determination of the final legal status of Upper Garabagh ``through a legally binding expression of will`` and the right of ``internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence.``
The fact the co-chairing states reaffirmed that the entire territory of Upper Garabagh, including the zone between the region and Armenia, is an integral part of Azerbaijan and called for the return of the occupied territories, is opposed by Armenians living in France, in particular, FRA, an association of Armenians which is the local arm of the nationalist Dashnaksutyun Party, known for its bias against Azerbaijan. The group claimed that the Madrid principles blatantly contradict the sentiments of Garabagh`s Armenian residents and called on the Armenian president not to sign what they called a defeatist agreement. The association maintained that all issues pertaining to the future of Upper Garabagh and its population should be resolved broadly through consultations with direct participation of the self-styled republic`s representatives.
Meanwhile, a delegation of FRA executives had discussions at the Armenian embassy in France. They directed pounding criticism at Yerevan`s foreign policy in the past year, including its relations with Turkey, a country which faces long-standing tensions with Armenia. The FRA representatives charged that Armenian policies have been failing and demanded the resignation of Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, who has followed a course they believe is not in line with the Armenian people`s interests.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered negotiations, peace talks have been without results so far and refugees remain stranded.
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