November 7, 2012

ACNIS Considers International Context of the Karabagh Issue

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today held a daylong roundtable discussion to explore the sense and significance of the conflicting situation around Mountainous Karabagh (Artsakh). The seminar discussion brought together leading analysts, policy specialists, and young political scientists.

ACNIS director of research Manvel Sargsian welcomed the audience with opening remarks. “Over the course of this dialogue we will try to model present-day international legal and political mechanisms and standards concerning the conflicting situation to elucidate some theses—particularly Karabagh’s recognition or non-recognition issue—that are widely articulated in public domain and political circles,” Sargsian stated.

The event featured presentations from experts Marta Ayvazyan, Levon Gevorgyan, Arthur Ghazinyan, Andrias Ghoukasyan and Davit Shahnazaryan, who evaluated the legal and political realities with respect to the conflicting situation around Mountainous Karabagh, and presented the avenues to act upon the current state of affairs from the standpoint of security prospects by probing into the issue’s international-legal and political models—along with their standards—and the methods of political influence on the conflict.

According to the analysts, the international-legal model of the Karabagh conflict includes the nature of the internationally recognized issue, the proposal of the resolution, and the legal acts that shaped the international stand towards the conflict. The participants considered the internationally acknowledged fact of disagreement on some aspects of the Karabagh issue, the availability of international process of political resolution of the latter—based on the guiding principles of Helsinki Final Act—Azerbaijan’s obligation to peacefully solve the issue, and the fact of internationally hampered use of force by Azerbaijan as the standards of the political model.

In the light of the same set of standards, the seminar reflected on the internationally non-recognized  right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, Azerbaijan’s hegemony over Karabagh and de facto recognition of the right of Karabagh’s Armenians to self-determination, and the actual controversy among the regional states on the conflicting situation around Mountainous Karabagh.

In regard to efficient legal ways of impact on the Karabagh issue, the policy specialists underscored the stagnation of the negotiation process within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group, and highlighted potential security concerns in case of the recognition of the Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR). The discussants underlined that both the recognition of MKR by Armenia and the change of the issue’s international-legal model have some resources, while at the same time bear some risks.

The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) is a leading independent strategic research center located in Yerevan, Armenia.  As an independent, objective institution committed to conducting professional policy research and analysis, ACNIS strives to raise the level of public debate and seeks to broaden public engagement in the public policy process, as well as fostering greater and more inclusive public knowledge. Founded in 1994, ACNIS is the institutional initiative of Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Over the past fifteen years, ACNIS has acquired a prominent reputation as a primary source of professional independent research and analysis covering a wide range of national and international policy issues.

For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; email root@acnis.am or info@acnis.am; or visit www.acnis.am.