US ENVOY IN AZERBAIJAN COMMENTS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS
Q&A with Ross Wilson: 11/29/01

Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Heidar Aliyev, are expected to meet in Moscow in connection with the CIS Summit on November 30. The two leaders will attempt to restart discussions on a political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenian officials have already stated that they do not expect the talks to produce a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Quliyev said November 26 that the OSCE Minsk group’s latest proposals could not serve as the basis for a political settlement. Ross Wilson, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, has worked in foreign service since 1979. Wilson recently met with journalists in Azerbaijan, including a EurasiaNet correspondent, commenting on Nagorno-Karabakh and related issues, including the recent US move to lift economic sanctions against Azerbaijan. Excerpts from Wilson’s talk with journalists follow:

EurasiaNet: What kind of assistance will the US render to the Azerbaijani government now that the US Congress has authorized a waiver of sanctions contained under Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act?
Wilson: The language that was passed by the Senate gives the President the authority to wave the section 907 for a year. It also says the President can extend that waiver another year and indefinitely. So in fact it's a prominent waiver. The decision would be enforced when signed by the President. We have talked in a general way about the kinds of things that we would like to do. And this may include increased assistance to Azerbaijan in controlling its borders more effectively. It may include technical assistance to the government on economic policy. Bu it's much too premature to talk too much about specifics.

EurasiaNet: How will the US-Russian relationship impact the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process?
Wilson: We have long worked closely with Russia for the settlement of the conflict. When the [Minsk] co-chairs were in Key West and here in May, they described the US and Russia's work together in very, very positive ways. And I think this [shows] some level of cooperation that had not, if one is honest, always existed in the past. And a practical cooperation between the US and Russia is one of the reasons why we were more optimistic about the settlement of the conflict. Since September 11, our cooperation on regional issues has increased significantly. And so I can say that the US and Russia are even more deeply pulling in the same direction on Nagorno-Karabakh. Obviously its issues are no less complicated than they were, and we still have points to work on.

EurasiaNet: After the Minsk group co-chairs visited the region, Azerbaijan officially declared that they hadn't brought new proposals. How would you describe the current status of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process?
Wilson: The co-chairs were pleased to have had the opportunity to come here at the beginning of November after the number of weeks when they had not been able, partly because our co-chair changed and then the events of September 11 made international travel difficult. Second, they were pleased with the very detailed talks on specific subjects, and a number of ideas -- some new ideas. It would be wrong to say that all of the ideas that they discussed with [presidents Kocharian and Aliyev] were rejected. Many of those ideas were discussed. Both presidents made clear to the Minsk group that they wanted to work on and to achieve a negotiated settlement, and that they want the Minsk group to continue to work towards that. Did the Minsk group achieve a great breakthrough towards the peace settlement? No, they did not. But I think this was a useful and important visit, and it set the basis for work in the future.

EurasiaNet: You recently visited the Fizuli district [to witness the dedication of a new hospital]. Is there any change in the community's position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?
Wilson: The sure answer is no. The people who were there, that I talked to at least, were…very much focused on the problems that they are facing daily. As you know, this is an area that had been occupied by Armenian forces that people were able to move back into after the Armenians pushed out. And they have been working on rebuilding their homes, their lives, their community. And I was really there to celebrate, with them, one of a lot of pieces to which the US contributed.

EurasiaNet: How do you evaluate the training held in Azerbaijan within the NATO program "Cooperative Determination?" Is it realistic for Azerbaijan to aspire to NATO membership?
Wilson: We were very pleased that the Cooperative Determination took place here, we were pleased with the work the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry did to make very good, very successful arrangements for a productive exercise. Overall, the [mission] to develop between the NATO member countries and Azerbaijan was accomplished. It's extremely productive for Azerbaijani officers and soldiers to sit and work and talk through issues and problems with their counterparts. So we saw this as a demonstration of NATO's interest in Azerbaijan.

The issue of NATO membership is a complicated one because it has to do with extremely important and serious obligations and responsibilities. The alliance has made a decision that it is open to new members who are willing and able to take on all responsibilities and obligations. The Alliance laid out a specific procedure by which countries express their interest in joining NATO and then go through a process that normally lasts a couple of years. Azerbaijan has not yet indicated that it wishes to take part in the membership action. I am sure that if in the future Azerbaijan does, NATO member countries will regard that [idea] seriously.

EurasiaNet: Is US-Iranian cooperation real, and will Washington side with Iran against Azerbaijan if that partnership is realized?
Wilson: We have established some ties with Iran after the September 11 attacks. Combating terrorism has forced us to do that. But these relationships have not changed the existing problems in US-Iranian ties. Iran's position in the Mideast peace process, the violation of human rights in that country and Iran's build-up of weapons of mass destruction are problems that continue to exist for US-Iranian relations.

As for Azerbaijan, US-Azerbaijan ties are based on other values. It is wrong to think that our good relations with Azerbaijan have resulted from the bad ones with Iran. We'd like to cooperate with Iran, provided the latter changes its position on those problems I mentioned. It doesn't mean that if these problems are settled, the US will change its attitude to Azerbaijan or will reduce the significance it attaches to this country.

Editor’s Note: Ambassador Wilson’s comments were transcribed by Konul Khalilova.

Email this article
Posted November 29, 2001 © Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org

	The Central Eurasia Project aims, through its website, meetings, papers, and grants, to foster a more informed debate about the social, politcal and economic developments of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a program of the Open Society Institute-New York. The Open Society Institute-New York is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that promotes the development of open societies around the world by supporting educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Open Society Institute and are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.