Comments for Caucasus Edition

Comment on The Imperative to Ease Tension in the South Caucasus by greg

greg — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:38:15 +0000

Regarding the article titled “The Imperative to Ease Tension in the South Caucasus”; Your contention that the Karabakh peace process would gain from a unilateral withdrawal of Armenian snipers from the contact / ceasefire line is contradicted by your very own article’s conclusion that Azerbaijan’s strategy in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is to gain an overwhelmingly assymetrical military advantage over Armenia, and seize Karabakh by military force. The presence of snipers on both sides of the contact line is a first line of defense that dissuades the side most interested in a military solution from opting for one. Unilateral withdrawal of snipers by Armenians would be analogous to pulling bricks out of one side of a dam without lowering the water level and water pressure on the other side of the dam. Such a move guarantees a loss of stability and eventual breakage of the structure that has held in place up to this point. Your analysis up to that last suggestion was right on. Don’t ruin it by suggesting something that you have already demonstrated would send the wrong signal to the side most interested in using force to resolve the problem.

Comment on Turks, Armenians and Azeris: Mirrors and Memories by Laura Graham

Laura Graham — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 02:40:05 +0000

I really enjoyed the film and the ways in which the film makers sought to weave the thread of how silencing painful memories of the past is not constructive to peaceful relations. I liked being able to see the similar experiences of working through memory that these characters expressed. This creative approach to reconstructing memory is unique and I believe worthwhile for conflict resolution.

Comment on Karabakh: A Long and Winding Road to Distant and Difficult Peace by victaulic couplings

victaulic couplings — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:52:19 +0000

This is a topic that is close to my heart… Thank you!
Where are your contact details though?

Comment on Nagorno-Karabakh: Lingering Shadows of the Past by H.

H. — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:44:37 +0000

Let’s set aside Sumgait for a second — why should Armenia recognize the Khojaly massacre when Azerbaijan (on a state/diplomatic level) has adopted the Turkish government’s policy of denying the Armenian Genocide? I guess you can say that the mentality of citizens in Armenia towards Khojaly is similar to citizens of modern Turkey who feel recognizing historical crimes isn’t worth the trouble because of what comes afterwards (reparations and reclamation of properties)… but this is the world we live in.

Comment on Azerbaijani Domestic Politics and the Diaspora: (Mis)use of the “Armenian Factor” and its Implications for Conflict Resolution by here

here — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:00:27 +0000

I write a comment whenever I especially enjoy a
post on a site or if I have something to add to the conversation.
Usually it is triggered by the passion communicated in the post
I browsed. And after this article Caucasus Edition – Azerbaijani Domestic Politics and the Diaspora: (Mis)use
of the

Comment on Designing, Monitoring, and Evaluating for Impact: Thoughts on Effective Peacebuilding in Nagorno-Karabakh by Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue

Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:52:49 +0000

[...] Designing, Monitoring, and Evaluating for Impact: Thoughts on Effective Peacebuilding in Nagorno-Karabakh by Afa Alizada Full article at: http://caucasusedition.net/analysis/designing-monitoring-and-evaluating-for-impact-thoughts-on-effec… [...]

Comment on Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process in 2012: where are we, where should we go? by Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue

Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:50:42 +0000

[...] Full article at: http://caucasusedition.net/analysis/nagorno-karabakh-peace-process-in-2012-where-are-we-where-should… [...]

Comment on Tolerance and Peace Education: An interview with Dr. Carolyne Ashton by Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue

Caucasus Edition – Latest From The Region January 2013 Issue — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:50:26 +0000

[...] Full article at: http://caucasusedition.net/analysis/tolerance-and-peace-education-an-interview-with-dr-carolyne-asht… [...]

Comment on A Question for the Field of Conflict Resolution: Who Decides? by Caucasus Edition – Who is from Nagorno Karabakh

Caucasus Edition – Who is from Nagorno Karabakh — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 05:44:04 +0000

[...] and Palandjian, T. A Question for the Field of Conflict Resolution: Who Decides? Caucasus Edition. March 15 2011. http://caucasusedition.net/analysis/a-question-for-the-field-of-conflict-resolution-who-decides/ [...]

Comment on “Our borders are strong”: A case study of the Armenian identity through Aybenarans (alphabet textbooks) by Vartan Matiossian

Vartan Matiossian — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:39:42 +0000

“But ironically the Syunik region includes Nagorno Karabakh as the territory is shaded in a darker shade of green. With both of these larger regions being lumped into one color, how does this map understand the local understanding, if at all? Moreover, how do people in Kapan and Shushi relate to each other geographically? It is clear that the regional shading offers an interesting twist on the map. Perhaps by shading it in green, this appears to have integrated Nagorno Karabakh more easily within the borders and supported disguising of the conflict.”
Besides the intention of such shading, I’d like to point out to the author that, from a standpoint of cultural material (for instance, costumes), Siunik (Zanguezur) and Gharabagh have constituted what Soviet Armenian scholarship used to call an “ethnographic zone.” Therefore, the local understanding between people in Kapan and Shushi is not completely arbitrary.