In the light of Azerbaijan's non-constructive position and war-like statements why should the future status of the Nagorno Karabakh region, populated by christian Armenians, be settled through negotiations, while the status of Kosovo is settled through the political will and objective recommendation of the international community ending the war and conflict in the Balkans.
In a news story published yesterday in VOA and titled Rice Urges Political Will to Settle Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Tuesday called on the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments to summon up the political will to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh issue."
Indeed a political will is needed to solve the conflict between the two neighboring nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, how do you compromise with a neighbor that has caused great suffering and still says things that Armenia better compromises today or tomorrow will be late. Azerbaijan's president says "We are going to make our military spending just as much as it's Armenia's entire budget." Just yesterday Azerbaijan announced that they will increase the country's military budget by 53 percent.
And everyone may think that what is right in this situation is to support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and tell Armenia, you better agree what Azeris are telling you, otherwise they are going to get stronger and another war will break out. Yet, we can't say anything to them because Azerbaijan is an alternative supplier of oil.
Serbia did not have oil and in the case of Kosovo justice and the fundamental rights of the people of Kosovo were more important. But in the case of Azerbaijan and Armenia the oil may be more important.
Gone are the times when military might could have achieved desired results. I cannot name one instance from history that the military might has been able to sustain the territorial gains. If this is true then Italy, France, Austrio-Hungry, Germany would have been the size of the entire Europe and Northern Afrida today, USSR would have still been around Afghanistan being part of or today's Afghan government would have been more power throughout the country, beyond Kabul. Iraq would have been a prosperous country.
Nations and peoples have honor and love freedom. Freedom is not only for the western civilization, but for all. Nations and people resist speaking and negotiating from the point of view of force. If this works, then Azerbaijan, who has always been rich with oil and has 7 million population, would have won the war with Armenia, who does not have oil and has only 3.5 million population.
Questions for Condoleezza Rice and for the OSCE Minks Group Mediators
1. Why is freedom and independence is permitted for Kosovo and not to Armenians of the Nagorno Karabakh who have cultural monuments and churches built there since the 5th century.
2. Your government that always speaks of human rights and freedom, why should it be silence when Azerbaijan is speaking and negotiating from the point of view of force, and you are telling we defend Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
3. Why should Kosovo be independent of Serbia with the US and international community's recognition, but Nagorno Karabakh can't be independent of Azerbaijan.
4. In want ways are the people of Nagrono Karabakh and their desire for freedom inferior to those of the people of Kosovo?
5. If this is not a double standard then what is it?
Author: Armen Hareyan is the editor of HULIQ.com
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