Comments on: Azerbaijan Again Threatens War http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/03/28/azerbaijan-again-threatens-war/ Journalism and Photography from Armenia and the Surrounding Region Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:00:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Onnik http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/03/28/azerbaijan-again-threatens-war/#comment-1200 Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:41:01 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/03/28/azerbaijan-again-threatens-war/#comment-1200 The comment from nationalists in Armenia was actually in direct response to Kocharian's willingness to concede. As for the economy, things are changing in Azerbaijan because of the oil and in terms of military spending, and Armenia will ultimately be isolated in the entire region unless it becomes integrated and that means resolution of the Karabakh conflict. On what terms is anybody's guess, but ultimately, it would appear that the best deal for everyone is that which is on the table now. The comment from nationalists in Armenia was actually in direct response to Kocharian’s willingness to concede. As for the economy, things are changing in Azerbaijan because of the oil and in terms of military spending, and Armenia will ultimately be isolated in the entire region unless it becomes integrated and that means resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

On what terms is anybody’s guess, but ultimately, it would appear that the best deal for everyone is that which is on the table now.

]]> by: Christian Garbis http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/03/28/azerbaijan-again-threatens-war/#comment-1198 Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:30:50 +0100 http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2006/03/28/azerbaijan-again-threatens-war/#comment-1198 Azerbaijan more than ever now needs to concede in my opinion. The cease fire cannot last forever, and the vague details that were released regarding the recent peace talks were mostly in Azerbaijan's favor, although they walked away from the table. It will have to concede even more now. In terms of Armenian nationalists, their comments were in direct response to Aliev's most recent threats to wage war at any given moment, as he has been promising for the last two months as well as yesterday. There is nothing wrong with declaring that you are ready to defend yourself if necessary and being confident that you will be victorious. That's what opponents do when they gear up for and are involved in war--it's nothing unique. Diplomacy is not working in the final resolution of the conflict--it hasn't for 14 years now. Unfortunately it may take a renewal of fighting between the two sides. Turkey will not get involved despite the general's comment--if so they would have already done so when the fighting was going on. The resumption of war I believe will again be between the two rivals, while the world anxiously watches what happens. In terms of the Armenian economy, the construction boom as well as current real estate market and foreign investment is showing that Armenia's economy is far from being left behind. We don't need to get into the details here but Armenia seems to be doing fine. Even the World Bank says this. The exports are not there yet, but money is coming in. But whether it is actually circulating within the country is not clear at all. Azerbaijan more than ever now needs to concede in my opinion. The cease fire cannot last forever, and the vague details that were released regarding the recent peace talks were mostly in Azerbaijan’s favor, although they walked away from the table. It will have to concede even more now.

In terms of Armenian nationalists, their comments were in direct response to Aliev’s most recent threats to wage war at any given moment, as he has been promising for the last two months as well as yesterday. There is nothing wrong with declaring that you are ready to defend yourself if necessary and being confident that you will be victorious. That’s what opponents do when they gear up for and are involved in war–it’s nothing unique.

Diplomacy is not working in the final resolution of the conflict–it hasn’t for 14 years now. Unfortunately it may take a renewal of fighting between the two sides. Turkey will not get involved despite the general’s comment–if so they would have already done so when the fighting was going on. The resumption of war I believe will again be between the two rivals, while the world anxiously watches what happens.

In terms of the Armenian economy, the construction boom as well as current real estate market and foreign investment is showing that Armenia’s economy is far from being left behind. We don’t need to get into the details here but Armenia seems to be doing fine. Even the World Bank says this. The exports are not there yet, but money is coming in. But whether it is actually circulating within the country is not clear at all.

]]>