Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick spoke about the keys to a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Warlick's speech "Nagorno-Karabakh: The Keys to a Settlement" took place on May 7, at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the U.S. Department of State said.

"Our goal should be to find a pragmatic way forward to bring about a lasting settlement," Warlick said.

He noted that his statement reflects official U.S. Government policy that guides the U.S. engagement as the country helps the parties find peace.

"And peace is within reach. The sides have come to a point where their positions on the way forward are not that far apart. They have almost reached agreement on several occasions - most recently in 2011. And when they inevitably returned to the negotiating table after each failed round, the building blocks of the next "big idea" were similar to the last time," Warlick said.

"There is a body of principles, understandings, and documents already on the table that lay out a deal, and no one has suggested we abandon them," he said, noting that the challenge is to find a way to help the sides take last, bold step forward to bridge their remaining differences and deliver the peace and stability that their populations deserve.

Warlick said for two decades, however, peace has been elusive. "All parties distrust each other and a generation of young people has grown up in Armenia and Azerbaijan with no first-hand experience of each other. As many have noted, older generations remember a time when Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived side-by-side and differences did not need to be resolved through the barrel of a gun."

He noted that resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will unlock a new era of prosperity across the region.

Warlick said the benefits of peace far outweigh the costs of continued stalemate, and avoid the catastrophic consequences of renewed hostilities.

"Armenia would immediately benefit from open borders, greater security, and new opportunities to trade, travel, and engage with all its neighbors. Azerbaijan would eliminate a key impediment to its growth as a player on the world stage, regional trade hub, and strong security partner, while giving hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons a prospect for reconciliation and return," Warlick said.

He noted that a peace agreement, properly designed and implemented, would also eliminate the tragic, steady stream of casualties - both military and civilian - along the border and the line of contact. "Numbers are hard to pin down, but there have already been at least a dozen killed and even more injured on the front lines this year so far. This is unacceptable," Warlick said.

"Next week will mark 20 years since a ceasefire agreement was signed. While we can take some pride in having avoided a return to outright war, we must also agree that the current state of affairs is unacceptable, and unsustainable," Warlick noted.

He said the sides live under threat from sniper fire and landmines, they are concerned for the lives of their civilian populations and their access to farmland, cemeteries, and buildings that happen to fall "too close" to the line of contact or the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Warlick further noted that the OSCE monitors have been working for two decades to keep an eye on this fragile peace, but have neither the mandate nor the resources to put a stop to the frequent casualties, or even to identify responsibility.

He informed that he will visit the Nagorno-Karabakh region next week together with the other co-chairs.

Warlick pointed out that both presidents want to make progress and agree that the series of documents negotiated over the past several years contains the outlines of a deal.

"The co-chairs hosted the presidents in Vienna last November. This was their first meeting since January 2012 - and the first time since 2009 for them to meet one-on-one. We were encouraged by their conversation, and by their stated commitment to find a way forward. Since that time, we have met on ten separate occasions with one or both foreign ministers to keep the discussion alive," Warlick said.

He noted that only the presidents have the ability to conclude a deal with such transformative consequences for their countries. "It is the presidents who must take the bold steps needed to make peace. The United States has pressed both leaders to meet again soon and take advantage of this window of opportunity when peace is possible."

Warlick said the time had come for a renewed effort to bring peace to the region.

He highlighted the joint statements by Presidents Barack Obama, Dmitriy Medvedev, and Nicola Sarkozy in L'Aquila in 2009 and Muskoka in 2010, saying these principles and elements form the basis of U.S. policy toward the Minsk Group and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"At the heart of a deal are the UN Charter and relevant documents and the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act. In particular, we focus on those principles and commitments that pertain to the non-use or threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples," Warlick noted.

He said there are six elements that will have to be part of any peace agreement if it is to endure. "While the sequencing and details of these elements remains the subject of negotiations, they must be seen as an integrated whole. Any attempt to select some elements over others will make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution."

Warlick further went over these elements:

"First, in light of Nagorno-Karabakh's complex history, the sides should commit to determining its final legal status through a mutually agreed and legally binding expression of will in the future. This is not optional. Interim status will be temporary.

Second, the area within the boundaries of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region that is not controlled by Baku should be granted an interim status that, at a minimum, provides guarantees for security and self-governance.

Third, the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh should be returned to Azerbaijani control. There can be no settlement without respect for Azerbaijan's sovereignty, and the recognition that its sovereignty over these territories must be restored.

Fourth, there should be a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. It must be wide enough to provide secure passage, but it cannot encompass the whole of Lachin district.

Fifth, an enduring settlement will have to recognize the right of all IDPs and refugees to return to their former places of residence.

Sixth and finally, a settlement must include international security guarantees that would include a peacekeeping operation. There is no scenario in which peace can be assured without a well-designed peacekeeping operation that enjoys the confidence of all sides."

Warlick said the time has come for the sides to commit themselves to peace negotiations, building on the foundation of work done so far.

He noted when such negotiations commence, the parties should not only reconfirm their commitment to the ceasefire but also undertake much-needed and long-sought security confidence-building measures.

Warlick said the Minsk Group co-chairs share a common interest in helping the sides reach a peaceful resolution. "We intend to continue working through the Minsk Group as the primary channel for resolving this conflict. The United States stands ready to help in any way we can. I would also call on the diaspora communities in the United States and around the world to speak out for peace and to help bring an end to this conflict."

He said it is up to the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to take the first step, noting they should consider measures, even unilateral ones that will demonstrate their stated commitment to making progress, reducing tensions, and improving the atmosphere for negotiations.

Warlick underlined that a lasting peace must be built not on a piece of paper, but on the trust, confidence, and participation of the people of both countries.