Anar Mammadkhanov

How do you assess the Karabakh peace process following the recent negotiations between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan?

I think there is not much time left. It seems to me that in the near future the presidents will declare openly what has been negotiated. It will happen even sooner than we expect. I think we should not hurry. Opinions during the negotiations diverge too widely and are not very clear. The mediators say there are achievements. But they have been speaking of achievements for many years now.

 In other words, do you not believe in progress?

No, I believe in it. I believe in some achievements and I think that there will be achievements and the sides will agree or disagree on some things. I understand this as I understand Serzh Sargsyan because he risks losing either the state or his powers. 

The main issue in the negotiations is the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Do you think Armenia may disavow its previous positions on ensuring the status of an independent state for this region?

The disavowal of their previous positions by the Armenian leadership is not just a possibility, they will have to disavow them. Armenia is on the verge of collapse. They can talks about what they like, tell tales, run round the world and beg money from their diaspora. Instead of Shusha, which will return to Azerbaijan sooner or later, they should rather care about the restoration of their Spitak or Leninakan. But they are just weeping and begging for money and that’s all. They can say whatever they want but the fact is that we will be able to return Karabakh quickly by war. Yes, we understand that there will be tensions in the region, but as President Ilham Aliyev said we cannot wait for long. We cannot bear the blatant actions and statements of the Armenian side and their press. Even the supporter of the most radical way of settling the problem in Azerbaijan, the head of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, Akif Nagi, does not make such blatant statements as do senior Armenian politicians and state officials. This makes us angry. I think war is, perhaps, the only way to resolve the problem. War will facilitate the situation even for Serzh Sargsyan, as in the end he will be defeated. Perhaps, this is the only way.

Do you think Azerbaijan has reached any limit on compromise in the negotiations?

Do we have anything from the Armenians to disprove it? Nothing. Our compromise really consists of three elements which are the opening of borders, Armenia’s integration in the geopolitical and geoeconomic area, the continuation of peaceful negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement and the status of high autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh as well as guarantees of security for the people of this region.

How do you see the further coexistence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities in Nagorno-Karabakh, once the Azerbaijani population has returned there?

In this case the OSCE Minsk Group and European Union would be useful. They should be there and hold seminars and  conferences, as they like to do. Instead of spending money on cattle breeding in Salyan or how women feel in Kurdamir  municipality, they should spend their money on something useful. Let them spend money on organizing a conference on the future coexistence of the communities.

Leyla Tagiyeva
News.Az