After the Russo-Georgian war in 2008 Europe and Turkey realized that all must be done to prevent any other war in the region. Yet, they avoid the fact that an entire generation is being raised in Azerbaijan with Xenophobia and this is a bomb waiting to explode as long as the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not solved with Armenia.
Right at the end of the Russo-Georgian war Turkey tried to enhance its leadership role in Caucasus and proposed the Caucasus Stability Pact. It did not go anywhere except signing the two normalization protocols with Armenia, which Turkey effectively killed conditioning it with progress in relations between Armenian and Azebaijan. Europe was very active to restore peace in the region as well. Nicolas Sarkozy did particularly stand out for his role in restoring peace between Georgia and Russia.
While it seems everyone understand how dangerous small wars can be in the mountains of the Caucasus, due to the clash of interests of the super-powers, no one seem to seriously care about the dangers growing today in Azerbaijan's society.
From the outset of the Nagorno Karabakh problem in 1988 to this date Azerbaijan preaches that its neighbor Christian Armenia is the ultimate enemy and refreshes the rhetoric of war at least once a month threatening the peaceful negotiation process. This means that since 1988 an entire generation has come up in Azerbaijan that breaths enmity toward Armenia and has raised xenophobic feelings against neighboring Armenian society. Already 22 years has passed from the beginning of the conflict and we are talking about everyone in Azerbaijan who is 22 years or younger being very hostile toward a neighboring country and ready to go to war should the order come tomorrow.
These people are Azerbaijan's tomorrow's decision makers and leaders. Yet, there is no sign coming from Azerbaijan that this trend is changing. If so, we are postponing the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict for several more years if not decades.
Azerbaijan is not doing anything to change its society and lead it to peace and its leaders tell during the negotiation meetings that their society is not ready for a peaceful compromise.
Armenia to Azerbaijan: Time To Prepare Public Opinion
Of course it is not ready because no work is being done to prepare the society for a compromise and honorable peace. The process of working with the society has not even started yet. On the other hand, this very militantly and xenophobicly inclined society may one day explode, put one of its members in charge and start another war. Neither Turkey, nor Europe will benefit from it.
Therefore the European parliamentarians and decision makers are called to bring this issue to the attention of the leadership of Azerbaijan to take more active measures to change the image of Armenians in the Azeri society. While in Armenian society Azerbaijan is an enemy state as well the concept that at the end of the day we are still neighbors is apparent even in the media. For the sake of justice we should note that the Armenian leadership does not threaten use of military force every month, should the negotiations fall.
Recommendations for social opening
It would be good to encourage mutual travel between the people. Let singers, poets, dancers and people representing their cultures travel and re-represent their cultures to the "other" side. I want to believe that the Armenian society would enjoy a dancing group concert from Azerbaijan and hope the same would happen in the Azeri society should an Armenian dance group travel to Baku for concerts.
Azerbaijan and Turkey have blockaded Armenia for already more than 18 years, hoping to bring the country to its knee and force it to make unilateral concessions. The result has been the opposite. As we know, no sanctions have ever worked positively. Armenia used the open borders with Iran and Georgia to develop its trade and economy. Therefore, it's time for Turkey and Azerbaijan to reconsider their approach and realize that this policy of isolating Armenia has failed to no one's benefit.
The border must be opened between Turkey and Armenia as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Perhaps starting small and encouraging trade between Armenia and Azeri enclave Nakhijevan would be a good start. In this instance Nakhijevan will be the main benefactor. Opening of Armenian Azeri border should follow as the next step and allow free flow of goods and products from Baku to Yerevan to Istanbul.
These measures would make and encourage a good exchange between the people of both societies. When people become friends or at least less hostile to one another, it will be much easier to make an honorable compromise and achieve a lasting peace.
This opening of the opposing societies and work to change the enemy image should be the next focus of the Minks group co-chairs who are going to visit the region during Summer. European leaders, Russia and Turkey should also encourage this opening between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Otherwise, it will be almost impossible to make peace. What leader can make a compromise with the other country preached and perceived to be the ultimate enemy?
Written by Armen Hareyan
HULIQ.com
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