Aliyev Upbeat on Karabakh Peace
RFE/RL reports once again on the building momentum towards a Karabakh peace deal. In recent years it has been the Azerbaijani side that has been unwilling to compromise on a potential settlement in the conflict with Karabakh, but RFE/RL now says that President Ilham Aliyev is optimistic that a solution can be found in 2006.
“The year 2006 offers certain hopes about in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict,” Aliev said in his first 2006 comments that were broadcast by Azerbaijani state television late Monday.
The proposals made by the Minsk Group’s French, Russian and U.S. co-chairs during their visit to the region last month relate to a framework peace deal which the mediators hope will be cut by Aliev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian. The two leaders are expected to meet later this month or early next.
Of course, such comments might still be declarative for external consumption, but certainly, speculation that a deal is close has been more prolific than ever before. On the other hand, and as we heard from the Armenian Defense Minister early in 2005, Aliyev could be testing the water.
As the year progresses we’ll know more.
