Armenian
News Network / Groong
Conversations on Groong: Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert
Perspectives on Negotiations
ANN/Groong
December 15, 2021
Guest
● Benyamin Poghosyan
● Anar Valiyev
Hosts
● Hovik Manucharyan
● Asbed Bedrossian
Introduction
Hello and welcome to the
Armenian News Network, Groong,
In this Conversations on Groong episode, we’ll be talking with two
specialists from Armenia and from Azerbaijan, and explore their views and
perspectives on the problems and solutions they envision for long term peace
between the neighbors.
Before we begin, please support us by
subscribing to our channel on Youtube and follow us on Twitter, Like our pages and follow us on social
media. We’re also available on most podcast platforms, so check the links in
the show notes for more ways you can listen to us.
Why is there a need to have
such a discussion right now? The temperature of the post-war negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan has reached a boiling point, with Azerbaijan’s
president Aliyev issuing ultimatums and demands for dates for Armenia to open “corridors”
for Azerbaijan. In trying to create a more informed Armenian public about these
negotiations, we hope that such discussions can clarify what the sides are
saying to each other, and what the sides are hearing from each other.
This episode was recorded on
Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
Armenian and Azerbaijani Expert
Perspectives on Negotiations
Overview
Since the second war in Artsakh in 2020, also
known as the 44-Day war, which culminated in the signing of the November
Agreement by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, the three countries have been
negotiating the fulfillment of that agreement. The
agreement contained 9 points, of which the first 5 are
primarily complete, 6 and 7 are more or less in progress, but 8 and 9 continue
to be deeply problematic despite intensive and contentious yearlong
negotiations.
Point 8 is about the exchange of all prisoners
of war (POWs). It should have been a simple and humanitarian exchange, but
Azerbaijan had different ideas.
Point 9 is about opening communication and
transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan and then more widely throughout
the region. Negotiations have been complex and frustrations have caused flare
ups that have killed dozens more Armenian soldiers and citizens since the war
ended.
What are the perspectives and stumbling blocks
that have prevented peace, a year after the war ended?
Guests
Discussion
Artsakh Status (4:54)
●
What happened to “Highest Level of Autonomy”?
Is the conflict really “solved”
(11:04)
●
“Most Merciful war” in post-soviet space - lack
of intent on Azerbaijan’s part for civilian killings
Opening of Communications (38:52)
●
Step by step opening of relations - building of
trust between societies
Corridor for Corridor (46:32)
●
What does “corridor” mean?
“Unimpeded” Access (50:15)
●
Why is “unimpeded” communication
and transit so desirable? What is there to hide?
●
Why isn’t “sovereign managed
transit” acceptable with periodic, formal reviews of status, and as confidence
builds between the sides, to ease back on the controls?
Russia’s regional role (53:16)
Turkey’s regional role (58:48)
●
Azerbaijan no longer putting pressure on Turkey
to keep border closed with Armenia
●
Saw hardening of Armenian stance in NK
negotiations right after Football Diplomacy.
●
Influence of Turkey in Azerbaijan
3+3 or 3+2 Format (1:02:06)
Questions
Demarcation and delimitation in
context of “corridors” (1:05:55)
Shahumyan region (1:08:57)
Which maps to use for demarcation
& delimitation (1:17:01)
Is Azerbaijani post-war rhetoric
conducive for peace (1:18:14)
Recap (1:26:59)
Recap between Hovik and Asbed:
●
What did we hear in this discussion?
Wrap-up
That concludes this Conversations On Groong episode, and we hope you found it helpful. As
always we invite your feedback, you can find us on most social media and
podcast platforms, or our website Groong.org.
Thanks to Laura Osborn for
the music on our podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel on Youtube,
Like our pages and follow us on
social media. On behalf of everyone in this episode, we wish you a good week,
thanks for listening and we’ll talk to you soon.
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Keywords
Benyamin Poghosyan, Anar Valiyev, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, 44-Day War, War in Artsakh, Ceasefire
Agreement, November Agreement, POWs, Nikol Pashinyan, Ilham Aliyev, Yerevan,
Baku,
