On October 6 the three-day “Rose Roth” 61^st seminar organized by NATO PA and RA NA on the theme “The Security in South Caucasus” began. The seminar attended NA President Artur Baghdasaryan, NATO PA General Secretary Simon Lunn, the Armenian delegation in NATO PA, delegations from France, Russia, Italy, Czech Republic, Belgium, Macedonia, Germany, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain, Romania, representatives of acting diplomatic missions and international organizations and observers from NATO.

Welcoming those present NA President Artur Baghdasaryan, expressed confidence that as a result of discussions effective conclusions will be made for the stability and development of the security. “In my opinion, the shortest and most effective road of democracy is the confrontation of the challenges facing before our region. The democracy can be the main pillar, the development of which can promote the settlement of conflicts in our region, creation of such atmosphere, in the conditions of which we can jointly work, discuss the existing problems. I think this seminar inclined to the development of cooperation will be of importance because we should build such Armenia, have such region, which looks at the future. It’s very important that future should be built on the cooperation.”

NA President mentioned that NATO PA and other international organizations can undertake important mission on the road of the solution of numerous problems in South Caucasus. He said that he discussed together with NATO PA General Secretary the issue of organizing an international conference on the theme fighting the terrorism in Yerevan next year.

In the opinion of Vartan Oskanyan, Foreign Minister, NATO can have an important role in the region on the issue of providing peace and security in the region, promoting the constructive dialogue between the states of Caucasus. The theme of the seminar is of high priority and coincides the efforts of Armenia directed to making closer the relations with NATO as much as possible.

The Minister noted that Armenia closely cooperates with NATO, to bring the individual cooperation programme to a final form. An attempt is made by the programme to solve three problems: to institutionalize the dialogue and cooperation. There is a wide agenda of cooperation between NATO and Armenia, which includes the international fighting against terrorism, the control of armament and non-proliferation of the arms, the security of the borders and management, the peoples’ trafficking and preparation of civil emergency situations.

According to the Minister, the second problem, which is tried to be solved, is the reform defense system of our country. Our armed forces need reforms, and in their basis the principle of the civil control of our army should be put.

Vartan Oskanyan noted that the concept “security” has been changed during the recent several years. If before they understood it in a traditional sense, today, it has achieved wider sense, and there isn’t only the concept “war between the nations”, it also includes the fighting against terrorism, the fighting against non-proliferation of arms, it has other numerous peculiarities. Armenia is involved in the mentioned all directions. Traditionally, Armenia in the sense of security is very conscious and pays great attention to the security issues. Taking into account the present and past of its history, Armenia tries to strengthen the security arrangements and systems. The way of thinking of our security is not ideological, but strategic, and not political. Speaking about security Armenia doesn’t think who provides it or what ideology is put in its basis: to carry out within the framework with the Russians, USA, CIS Collective Security Treaty or NATO. Armenia has serious ties of security with Russia, there are Russian military bases in Armenia, Armenia is CST member, is actively involved in the framework of the conventions and arrangements of control of armaments and non-proliferation of arms. Our country makes closer the ties with NATO. Armenia even tries to make the next step after concluding the individual programme: deepen the relations with other countries. Greece is an important partner, and recently USA again promotes the strengthening of Armenia and our region. Armenia is ready to accept the assistance of any country to get security, as in the aspect of security, Armenia is very vulnerable, our transport means are limited, our economy depends on the import of power resources. Taking into account the geographical position of Armenia and the existing conflicts, to ensure the peoples’ security is very important for us.

Among other challenges the Foreign Minister specified the problems of Armenia with two neighbours: in the case of Azerbaijan there is conflict, which Armenia tries to solve. That conflict had some consequences on Armenia-Turkey relations.

NATO PA General Secretary Simon Lunn noted that the organization of the seminar testifies that NATO highlights South Caucasus and Armenia, also that the Armenian Parliament participates more actively in NATO activities. The General Secretary presented the PA goal: promote the parliamentary dialogue, as well as the goal of initiating “Rose Roth” seminar and the results recorded till now: “NATO expansion brought new perspectives and new challenges as the unstable regions became closer our borders, so the NATO attention already also includes the area of Balkan Peninsula, South Caucasus, Central Asia, expanded Near East. “The Mediterranean Dialogue” and “The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative” of the recent period joins it. The expansion of NATO cooperation and partnership programme causes the necessity of PA parallel activities. Especially the activity with the countries in the existence of sharp problems is important. For those regions, where political differences are deep, in the basis of conflicts are put irreconcilable national, spiritual or ethnic differences, NATO PA can become a neuther forum for the free exchange of opinions, help to prepare parliamentary assistance for achieving reconciliation agreement. Such meetings due to the course of time will promote the strengthening of the confidence between the countries.”

Brian Fall, UK Special Representative for South Caucasus (SC) said that his work isn’t the replacement of the professionals, but to promote the NK conflict settlement, also through building bilateral relations. “We aren’t a member of Minsk Group, we don’t want to hamper the Minsk process. The British Government hasn’t yet appointed a representative in SC because we envisage to pursue another policy, different from our allies but objectively stable, peaceful, developing and democratic South Caucasus is everybody’s goal, and for reaching it it’s necessary to combine the efforts and possibilities of the countries, and not in the last turn, also Russia, UN, OSCE, EU, NATO Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Council, other international governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Our efforts more raise the conflicts in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and NK. In the West they are well known as frozen conflicts, which is easy to explain. If we go back 10 years, these conflicts were specified with high tension and war. Now there are victims, forced displaced people, but there is also ceasefire and mechanisms of keeping it, and we can hope that the time of the main wars is already in the past. The next reason is that not everything is smooth in the regime of ceasefire, within the framework of which the diplomats try to settle the conflict. Not forgetting the influence of Moscow and Washington on the mentioned countries, I don’t think that Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia would be obliged to make a choice between those two countries.”

The first sitting of the seminar began with the discussions of the themes “Nagorno Karabakh Conflict and the Role of the International Community in the Solution of the Conflict.” As to Varuzhan Nersisyan, the Head of the RA FM OSCE division, all versions are due to discussions but for the Armenian side the holding of the referendum is acceptable. The thing that the people speak about holding referendum among the people living in NK before the conflict, is a serious compromise: “The important thing is that it should be in NK area at present or before the conflict the self-determination of the people, after that it will be clear what future they would like to have. The version of the two referendums is not acceptable both for Armenia and Karabakh.”

Sabine Freizer (International Crisis Group), elaborating on the problem of holding referendum in NK, noted that it’s a sensible issue, and it hasn’t been discussed thoroughly. “According to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, a referendum can’t be held if it’s not pan-national. If a referendum is held on NK, then it will be done in the whole Azerbaijan. That is, there is a big obstacle on the referendum. There are also circulating other ideas, i.e. to hold a referendum only in NK, but the problem is, who will vote. This is a complicated issue. The proposed idea of the Armenian side is that the referendum should be held in NK with the following question: “Do you want independence or not?” The Azeris also consider discussing the idea of organizing two referendums among the Armenians of Karabakh and Karabakh Azeris. This is unacceptable for the Armenian side.”

The continuing conflict has a heavy price for the two countries, thinks Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA Special Representative on Karabakh. “The conflict of Nagorno Karabakh is not frozen. Every year 35 people die on the contact line, may people become handicapped. There are hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons. Instead of building their newly independent states, Armenia and Azerbaijan, concentrate their political and other power on the conflict. The solution of the problem will direct that power to more useful things. It’s necessary to understand that the continuing conflict has heavy price for two countries,” said Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA Special Representative on Karabakh. The speaker highlighted the turning of the glance to the future, but not - to the past. The painful past should not impede the building of the future, should not stand on the way of finding solution. G.Lennmarker noted that that reasons of the conflict are deep. The main concern of Armenia is to ensure security of its people. In Azerbaijan they should understand that it’s the legal issue raised by the Armenians. The Azeri side has a feeling that it’s a victim of aggression, and justice will be. It should be understood in Armenia and Karabakh. These concerns are possible to solve, and they don’t disturb each other. The conflict can be solved meeting the requirements. Observing the conflict in that sense I’m optimist. In Mr. Lennmarker’s words, it’s necessary to expand the perspectives of the conflict. This conflict is the issue of the future of two countries: they must live together in the same region. The future of Armenia shall be shaped with Azerbaijan in the same context, in wider perspective, perhaps, with EU in the same context. It’s possible to find such solution of the problem, with which two sides will win. We won’t come to a conclusion, in case of which one side loses: otherwise the next generation will begin the next war. The two countries can use the great investment in the issue of NATO security.

Highlighting the active interest of CE and EU towards South Caucasus, Goran Lennmarker noted that the proposed prgrammes will help forming regional future for South Caucasus. The negotiations began with the format of Minsk Group. “We shall assist that, give new breathe, but we can’t replace the Minsk Group. Now, we see that the mission of the group is hopeful and can be completed, said Goran Lennmarker.

He proposed the delegates of the seminar to implore the governments of their countries to bear on their shoulders the problem of minesweeping in the mined areas.

Goran Lennmarker didn’t forget to emphasize the necessity of forming public opinion in Armenia and Azerbaijan: “In Azerbaijan there are parliamentary elections: during that period speeches of hatred towards Armenia won’t sound, as the MPs have responsibility to ensure the assistance of the society in the peace process, and not to use the conflict for getting dividends for their party.”