It is necessary to introduce real local self-government in Azerbaijan, including for the Armenians of Karabakh

Baku/16.05.22/Turan: Back in February, Azerbaijan submitted proposals to Armenia on the basic principles for establishing relations between the two countries. This is the mutual recognition by states of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability and political independence of their international borders; mutual confirmation of the absence of territorial claims among states against each other and the assumption of a legal obligation not to put forward such claims in the future; refrain from encroaching on each other's security in interstate relations, using threats and force against political independence and territorial integrity, as well as refraining from other circumstances inconsistent with the purposes of the UN Charter; delimitation and demarcation of the state border, establishment of diplomatic relations; the opening of transport and communications, the establishment of other relevant communications and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.

After some time, official Yerevan handed over to Baku a document consisting of 6 points.

The 3rd paragraph of the document says that ensuring the security of the Karabakh Armenians, observing their rights and freedoms, as well as determining the final status of "Nagorno-Karabakh" is a matter of principle for the Armenian side.

The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly stated that it will not discuss the status issue.

What is Azerbaijan's red line on the issue of status? Is it possible to give Nagorno-Karabakh the former status of an autonomous region?

In May, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters that the document submitted by Armenia could not be called a proposal. "When this document was presented, it expressed the reaction of the Armenian side to the proposals of Azerbaijan."

Elman Nasirov, a member of the Milli Majlis committee on international relations and inter-parliamentary relations, told Turan that the basic principles proposed by Azerbaijan were accepted by the top political leadership of Armenia. "At the Brussels talks on April 6, Nikol Pashinyan admitted this. At the same time, it became known that the Armenian side made 6 proposals."

He noted that the fact that very drastic changes have already taken place in Armenia's position is not overlooked. “It is for this reason that the Armenian opposition calls Pashinyan a traitor. So, if up to now Armenia has been talking about the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, now the changes in Pashinyan’s position are due to the fact that they highlight not the independence of Karabakh, but the security and rights of the Armenian population living in Karabakh.”

According to the  MP, in this regard, the President of Azerbaijan has repeatedly noted that the Armenians living in Karabakh are also our citizens. "Azerbaijan is a multinational state, what rights all ethnic groups have, the same rights will apply to Armenians."

As for the status of Karabakh, according to a member of the committee, Armenia is abandoning the idea of ​​Karabakh's independence, but is trying to make the most of reality. "That is, Nagorno-Karabakh should have a certain status within Azerbaijan. Although Azerbaijan repeatedly agreed to this in the negotiations preceding the 44-day war, we were ready to grant Karabakh a high status of autonomy within Azerbaijan. But after the war, all realities changed, Azerbaijan won war at the cost of blood. Mr. President also said that there would be no more status issues.”

Political commentator Azer Gasimly said that it is not known what decision the Azerbaijani authorities will make and how they are negotiating. "President and Minister Bayramov periodically reveal something. But this is not enough."

According to him, the new status quo, which is now being formed in Azerbaijan and in the post-Soviet space after the 44-day war, gives reason to say that Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be given a territorial status. "Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan. The people living there are also citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and their rights must be protected."

The political scientist believes that Azerbaijan itself should be democratized. “In the country, human rights and freedoms must be ensured, elections must be transparent. From this point of view, both Karabakh and other regions should have local self-government. In Azerbaijan, not everything should be managed from the center, and local people should have their own powers. That is, there should be municipalities with broad powers elected by people, they should have broad powers. Also in Karabakh.—0—