CAN THIS BE A JOURNEY TO SOME WHERE FOR PEACE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH?

Yesterday the Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev and the Armenia president Serzh Sarksyan, both signed a document agreeing to follow a new proposed pathway to peace prepared by the government of Russia. The president of Russia Federation Dmitry Medvedev was a witness to this signature.

The signed document contains a part that states that Azerbaijan was prepared to consider allowing Nagorno-Karabakh some measure of self-determination ", this is based on the statement of Khazar Ibrahim a spokesman for the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign affairs. If that is the case, hence we can conclude that a compromise from both parties is within arms reach.

Dmitry Medvedev, since after his assumption as the president of Russia has been trying to negotiate a new peace in the Karabakh region. This intent has seen him travel to both Azerbaijan and Armenia. Of course many people will judge his real objective as an aim to keep Russia as a factor in the region. If that is true, then Russia will want to parley with Azerbaijan because of it vast oil resource; therefore using the Nagorno-Karabakh as a bait will be a very good tactical approach.

Russia is regaining it highest popularity since after the fall of the Soviet USSR. Again the factors that has help it rise is the world surge in oil prices, the over dependence of the west on oil, coupled with the recent Russia intimidation of small Georgia with US and its allies unable to raise an eyebrow. Other than Georgia that Russia is seen as a pro-Western and US heavily backed, Russia will try as much as it can to keep Azerbaijan and Armenia within its confines so as to still retain it regional influence.

Compromise will be the only true way to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh. In a situation where both sides decide to play adamant, there will ultimately be no break through. The European group has tried to mediate the crisis but no major progress has been achieved; even the UN Security backed MINSK group have not also come out with any tangible results. The role Russia is about to play is a worthy step.

However it is also wise to add that Russia has all the while been part of the MINSK group. More so, with justified benefits of doubts, many passionate followers of the events from both sides will view the Russia role as a “non-necessary”; Russia based on its strategic position coupled with the Russia role in creating the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Russia shouldn’t have waited these many years to begin a meaningful step towards returning final peace to the Nagorno-Karabakh regions.

Whatever useful steps towards resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is a welcome one. The effect of the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia is still felt on both sides; the about many hundreds of thousand refugees living as displaced person in the country, the victims of unexploded mines and military ordinances, the freeze trade or border interactions between both countries and the vast stagnate land that was once farmlands to the inhabitants of the Nagorno-Karabakh territories (including the warfront zones).

A peaceful Nagorno-Karabakh will eventually be a starting point towards resolving some of the problems and challenges faced by the South Caucasus regions.