TODAY.AZ / Politics

Goran Lennmarker: It is easy to start a war, but it is difficult to end one

02 September 2011 [14:31] - TODAY.AZ
APA interviewed with former president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and chairman of the Jarl Hjalmarsson Foundation Goran Lennmarker
Do you share the view that present status quo might result a new war in the South Caucasus?

I don’t think there will be a new war in South Caucasus. It is easy to start a war, but it is difficult to end one. Since most war plans go wrong it is certainly difficult to predict the outcome. For example air superiority is crucial in modern warfare and it depends on skills, morale, strategy and tactics that are all difficult to assess.
Since war means that many, both young men and civilians, will be killed and many more wounded and severely handicapped and the public finances ruined, I am quite convinced that the responsible leaders I have met from both countries will not take such a fateful decision.

What steps should be taken immediately – by Minsk Group of the OSCE and the conflict sides- in order to rule out the deadlock?

The public opinion of both countries has to realize that a peaceful solution must be a compromise. No side will get hundred percent of its demands. But there will be substantial gains for both sides with the solution that the Minsk group envisages. For example: hundreds of thousands of IDPs and refugees would be able to retake possession of their land and some even of their houses. The possibility to visit family graves is also important. These are the wishes I have been told about during my many visits to refugee camps.

For instant, Moscow is an actual and active mediator in the negotiations, while the EU and the USA are staying aside, commenting only on the ongoing developments. Why do you believe is the EU acting passively in the issue?

It is good that Russia is an active mediator and I agree that EU is too passive. Europe has a unique experience of building its own peace, prosperity and democracy after a long history of wars and aggression between nations that now are member states. EU is also actively working on a peace-building process after the Yugoslav wars.

I think that EU should offer its most powerful support which is membership perspective to the three countries of South Caucasus. Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia are sovereign countries and if they wish to be part of the European integration, and if they fulfill the qualifications, this option should be open to them. I am convinced that that would bring a lasting peaceful stability to the region.


/APA/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/93576.html

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