Debate on Garabagh marred by tension
A roundtable devoted to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh held in the editorial office of Izvestiya
newspaper in Moscow was marred by tensions.
According to Heydar Jamal, the chairman of Russia’s Islamic Committee who attended the discussions, an incident occurred over a separatist regime’s representative joining the event.
"We demanded that he be represented at the event not as a representative of Upper Garabagh [an Azerbaijani region currently under Armenian occupation], but as a private individual. But, since his speech was a political statement, he was immediately taken out of the roundtable venue."
Jamal emphasized that more Armenians than Azerbaijanis attended the roundtable, entitled "Upper Garabagh conflict: providing conditions for making peace and Russia’s role." He said Azerbaijan was represented by political analysts Rasim Musabayov and Avaz Hasanov but added: "Though I had been invited to the function as the chairman of Russia’s Islamic Committee, I could be considered as a person representing Azerbaijan because I supported the Azerbaijani stance on the Garabagh issue as well."
The Garabagh conflict reared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia’s territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s in defiance of international law. The ceasefire accord was signed in May 1994, but over a decade of efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been fruitless so far.
Jamal believes that the Garabagh problem would not exist today if Russia didn’t directly support Armenia.
He went on to criticize the Armenian speakers’ actions and statements during the roundtable.
"As a result of unfairness displayed by Armenian experts, a negative environment and an atmosphere of unprofessional analysis emerged. As before, the main issues were not being discussed. There was little time to make speeches, but since Armenians outnumbered others and failed to observe the rules, their addresses took longer."
Jamal also stated during the debate that the countries around the South Caucasus region – Iran, Turkey, Russia and European states - are not interested in a solution to the Garabagh conflict and are using the current situation for their own ends.*
According to Heydar Jamal, the chairman of Russia’s Islamic Committee who attended the discussions, an incident occurred over a separatist regime’s representative joining the event.
"We demanded that he be represented at the event not as a representative of Upper Garabagh [an Azerbaijani region currently under Armenian occupation], but as a private individual. But, since his speech was a political statement, he was immediately taken out of the roundtable venue."
Jamal emphasized that more Armenians than Azerbaijanis attended the roundtable, entitled "Upper Garabagh conflict: providing conditions for making peace and Russia’s role." He said Azerbaijan was represented by political analysts Rasim Musabayov and Avaz Hasanov but added: "Though I had been invited to the function as the chairman of Russia’s Islamic Committee, I could be considered as a person representing Azerbaijan because I supported the Azerbaijani stance on the Garabagh issue as well."
The Garabagh conflict reared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia’s territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s in defiance of international law. The ceasefire accord was signed in May 1994, but over a decade of efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been fruitless so far.
Jamal believes that the Garabagh problem would not exist today if Russia didn’t directly support Armenia.
He went on to criticize the Armenian speakers’ actions and statements during the roundtable.
"As a result of unfairness displayed by Armenian experts, a negative environment and an atmosphere of unprofessional analysis emerged. As before, the main issues were not being discussed. There was little time to make speeches, but since Armenians outnumbered others and failed to observe the rules, their addresses took longer."
Jamal also stated during the debate that the countries around the South Caucasus region – Iran, Turkey, Russia and European states - are not interested in a solution to the Garabagh conflict and are using the current situation for their own ends.*
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