September 23, 2011 - 10:19 AMT
Michael Kambeck: with Karabakh settlement, the ball is in the court of Azerbaijan

The Secretary General of European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) non-governmental organisation shared his views on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

“As far as Karabakh settlement goes, the ball is in the court of Azerbaijan. However, it seems we’re not dealing with someone who is a negotiation partner. We’re dealing with an adversary, with someone who says no to everything while threatening with war,” Dr. Michael Kambeck said.

“I must admit by now, after Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan presidential meeting in Kazan and current regime in Baku I don’t have a key to conflict solution,” he confessed.

“The international community must make much more transparent that this is the case,” Dr. Kambeck said, urging the conflict mediators for more transparency.

“We need to change this, if keep silent about this forever, you’re just inviting the bad guy to continue playing a bad game,” he stressed.

As Dr. Kambeck noted in this context, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Ambassador Philippe Lefort, who’ve been provided with an extended mandate, is very well prepared to deal with the situation.

“I’m sure Mr. Lefort is very well prepared. I hope he does not repeat some of the mistakes that many people have made in the past. I hope he’s much more transparent and puts more transparency into this process, because that’s what it lacks in order to be successful. If he doesn’t manage to do that, then the structures that are dealing with the conflict today will be the first to suffer,” he stressed.

In conclusion, Dr. Kambeck urged for rapid settlement of conflict, which he said, would be in the interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey as well, further promoting economic development of the countries.