04.09.2008ACCORDING TO GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN THE PRECEDENT OF SOUTH OSSETIA IS GRIEVOUS, BUT IT MAY FURTHER SETTELING THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
Before Georgian-Russian conflict has begun Russia had already made a decision to raise the economic relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the state level. In other words, these economic relations had already acquired legal character making a ground for the sovereignty of the two countries to be recognized. The director of “Noravank” Foundation, political scientist Gagik Harutyunyan mentioned in his conversation with us that after the early August events the probability of recognition of the non-recognized republics is quite high. Such optimism has come to be proved by the announcement made by the President D. Medvedev and the Foreign Minister S. Lavrov, as well as the 6 paragraphs of the Medvedev-Sarkozi program.
“It would be naïve to think that the process of recognition will be of the same character as in case with Kosovo. The western community doesn’t recognize independence of the two republics, however, the case with Northern Cyprus (only Turkey has recognized this republic) will not be reiterated either as in this case Russia will have associates, although not that strong. It’s possible that the process of recognition will not have that mass character as in case of Kosovo, however, Russia will not at least be all alone. After the latest South-Ossetian and Abkhazian developments we, as a matter of fact, have a new South Ossetia, a New Abkhazia and a new Russia which will probably for the first time after the collapse of the Soviet Union display political will and determination directed to standing for their national interests”.
The political scientist is convinced that raising the status of any not recognized republic by the international community will be in favor of Karabakh. However, in case of Karabakh the matter is quite different, although such precedents legally further the process of international recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both in case of Kosovo and the one of South Ossetia and Abkhazia the legal grounding of recognition became the will, determination and military support of power states. The problem of Kosovo was solved by NATO and the US: here, the United State and Europe held the same opinion on the case. In case of South Ossetia and Abkhazia they have disagreements which may result Georgia not to be accepted into NATO. “Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must partly be given political solution to, but, at the same time, we have to consider it to be settled from the standpoint of political settlement and working out of certain political rules. NKR has de facto joined Armenia; it is a de facto established political and state element. The strategic climate around it, as well as the liberated territories are a favorable version for us and here, one should take his time. Only “status quo” is necessary, that’s to say it is necessary to somehow consolidate what we have. This is the very political task. Our armed forces are today there, and the problem is settled.”
“Nevertheless, West seems to give more preference to the principle of territorial integrity rather than to the rights of nations and self-determination. Won’t this hinder the process of conflict settlement?” While answering to this question the political scientist accentuated that there were different standards, nevertheless, it was difficult to determine which of them was peculiar and which - wasn’t. In case of the very South Ossetia the OSCE Secretary General stressed up that the solution of such problems was not possible to imagine without the will of nations. In the west people think that unless the rights of nations and their self-determination have been realized, the problems don’t have any political perspectives to be solved. After all, the United States itself declared its independence, that’s to say, it is the will of the nation, and from this standpoint the NKR has already been established. The precedent with South Ossetia is very sad; however it may favor the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The political scientist mentioned that we have an Armenian community in South Ossetia, and it is to be rendered humanitarian aid to it. But to the question, “What do you think about the position assumed by some political scientists concerning to Armenia’s freezing its relation with Russia?” G. Harutyunyan answered that it was unaccepted for him. “Politics is not a family where people divorce, love or hate each other. Politics is coincidence of interests. We have coincidence of interests with Georgia which we can’t but take into consideration. We have a numerous Armenian community in Georgia. I will also be mistaken to say that we should be more active in case of such a little state which has many interests in this region. The announcement of our political leadership was quite even-tempered and serious. Such complementary politics is justified… ”
Arman GASPARYAN
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