Honorary President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Western European Union (Belgium) Stef Goris spoke in an interview.
-: Can European Eastern Partnership program facilitate resolution of the Karabakh conflict?
Stef Goris: I think so. In recent years there has been much talks about measures to strengthen stability and security in the Caspian region, and I am convinced that Europe must increase its activity, play a more important role in solving the Karabakh problem. I also believe that the EU should form a unified stance on the right of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in accordance with the order as described in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
Q: Is there a risk that the settlement of this conflict will become a hostage of the geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and Russia, as was the case with the conflicts in Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
A: I believe that new U.S. president Obama professes a different approach. After refusal to deploy missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, I think that previous approaches to similar issues were left in the past. Perhaps a new stage begins in relations between the U.S. and Russia which opens up new possibilities. Well, let’s hope so, because it is also important for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Q: Do you think the United States and Russia have indeed a common vision of resolving the problem? For example, some media assumptions about the traditional pro-Armenian sympathies of Russia.
A: In fact, the big question is whether Russia is interested in solving the conflict, as in the case of the solution of the conflict it will no longer need a military presence in the region. Naturally, after a peace agreement, the international community would demand withdrawal of Russia’s military forces from the region. Therefore, I repeat, the question is whether Russia wants to resolve the conflict.
Q: What do you think about Nabucco gas pipeline project which has been talked about much recently?
A: The European Union shows increased interest in realization of Nabucco. It is important also for Azerbaijan. This project is a link between us. For Europe it is the only promising project in an eastern direction bypassing Ukraine and Russia. So I think its implementation is very important. It is in long-term interests of the EU.
Q: How realistic is the implementation of this project, given that Russia does not approve of this idea?
A: Yes, it is. But this is natural, because Russia does not want to lose gas supply monopoly. Therefore, it is clear that Russia can not support Nabucco, but also to prevent it, too. This project will be implemented, I’m sure. I think Russians themselves realize that they can not prevent its implementation.
Q: The Turkish press has recently had the idea of involving Armenia with this project which could contribute to the improvement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. What do you think about this idea?
A: There are already two pipelines running through the territory of Georgia and they are operating successfully. This is the Azerbaijani government which must decide whether this kind of cooperation with Armenia is possible at this time. I believe that today there is no suitable time until the Karabakh conflict is resolved, However, anything is possible in future. Who knows, maybe this idea will really be an integral part of the conflict settlement.
Q: But Armenians once rejected the idea of cooperation within the BTC in exchange for the liberation of occupied lands. Can they agree this time?
A: Armenians have themselves to decide future of their country. This is a fact that today Armenia is experiencing great economic and social problems. There is high levels of poverty in the country. I believe that the political leadership of this country should show more responsibility in addressing problems one of which is the one that we referred to in order to ensure a more prosperous future for its people. I repeat again that this is a question that Armenian leadership must ponder over.
day.az
