Problem of "enemy image" exists in both Azerbaijan and Armenia
The problem of "enemy image" in Azerbaijan, but to be frank, also in Armenia, is a series one but it is not insurmountable, a British expert said.
"A lot of work needs to be done and should be done and government and society in both countries must work together in this regard. However it is also easy to be very pessimistic about this issue," Mr. Dennis Sammut, the Chair of the Executive Steering Committee of the Consortium Initiative, said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
"I have been in many situations where people from Armenia and Azerbaijan, from all levels of society, have met each other and although they were meeting each other for the first time soon found they had many things in common with each other. The Moscow declaration talks about the importance of confidence building measures. The Consortium Initiative and its component members, International Alert, Conciliation Resources and LINKS, have since 2003 engaged with non state actors in the region, working with different sectors of society, from grass roots organizations to politicians and officials. We think there is scope for our work to continue and we would like this work to develop further with the support of the two governments and of the international community," he said.
Full text of the interview
"A lot of work needs to be done and should be done and government and society in both countries must work together in this regard. However it is also easy to be very pessimistic about this issue," Mr. Dennis Sammut, the Chair of the Executive Steering Committee of the Consortium Initiative, said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
"I have been in many situations where people from Armenia and Azerbaijan, from all levels of society, have met each other and although they were meeting each other for the first time soon found they had many things in common with each other. The Moscow declaration talks about the importance of confidence building measures. The Consortium Initiative and its component members, International Alert, Conciliation Resources and LINKS, have since 2003 engaged with non state actors in the region, working with different sectors of society, from grass roots organizations to politicians and officials. We think there is scope for our work to continue and we would like this work to develop further with the support of the two governments and of the international community," he said.
