Problems of Regional Security and Cooperation in the South Caucasus: A View from Yerevan

IMGXYZ3207IMGZYXCarnegie hosted Arman Kirakosian, deputy foreign minister of Armenia, who discussed Armenia’s regional perspective and security issues in the Caucasus, particularly the Nagorny-Karabakh conflict and the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Carnegie’s Thomas de Waal moderated.

Peaceful Resolution of the Nagorny-Karabakh Conflict

• Commitment to the Peace Process: Kirakosian stressed that Armenia is committed to a peaceful resolution of the Nagorny-Karabakh conflict. He cautioned parties to refrain from steps that could hamper the peace process—such as threats of the use of force and belligerent statements deliberately intended to deepen mistrust and hatred among the people—and instead prepare their populations for peace.
   
• Non-Use of Force: The use of force will create a situation of confrontation and instability in the region, Kirakosian said. The primary issue of security for Armenia is conventional arms control. The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) should serve as a basis for stability in the region, Kirakosian argued.
   
• The Minsk Group: Asked if he envisions that processes outside the existing Minsk Group would resolve the Karabakh conflict, Kirakosian said they could help to rehabilitate relations but reaffirmed the Minsk Group as the primary forum for bilateral and multilateral discussion.
   
• Confidence-Building Mechanisms: Although the Kazan meeting between the Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, and chaired by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, failed to produce an accord on the Document on Basic Principles, trust-building, rehabilitation, and continuing discussion are very important. In this respect, confidence-building mechanisms, even if modest and incremental at first, can play a decisive role in the resolution of the Nagorny-Karabakh conflict, stated Kirakosian.

Normalizing Armenia-Turkey Relations

• Preconditions: The Armenia-Turkey normalization process came to a halt in April when Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian suspended official participation in the process because Turkey insisted on linking Armenia-Turkey normalization and the Karabakh conflict, a linkage that was not in the protocols the two sides signed in October 2009. Such preconditions as the recognition of the Armenian genocide, or the Nagorny-Karabakh issue may create stumbling blocks in developing a positive environment for bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey, Kirakosian said. Thus, Armenia is committed to establishing relations with Turkey without preconditions, he added.He stressed the importance of restarting official diplomatic relations with Turkey.
   
• Regional Relations: Armenia embraces the principles of reciprocity, trust, and goodwill, and seeks to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries in the region, including Turkey, said Kirakosian. In this respect, Armenia has sought to maintain good relations with both Russia and Georgia after the Russian-Georgian conflict in 2008, Kirakosian said. He added that although Armenia fully recognizes the importance of international sanctions imposed on Iran, it will continue to have relations with the country.