When Nobel Prize winner, President Martti Ahtisaari visited Åland in connection to a meeting of the Nordic Council 29-30.9.2009, Åland Island Peace Institute volunteer and Azeri journalist Kamala Ramazanova got the opportunity to ask him about the Nagorno Karabakh question:
The approachment between Turkey and Armenia will affect the solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict:
“I definitely believe that normalization of the relation between Turkey and Armenia would be a very positive contribution to solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. So, that will also help us to look at the Nagorno Karabakh problem in a new perspective”, said Ahtisaari.
According to him, it is an important thing is when one try to get a solution that one gets involved, whoever does the negotiations or helps in the mediation process requires the main countries' support. If those who do matter are not supporting you, you can’t succeed.
“In every conflict the role of America is rather crucial. You have to get them to support”, noted Ahtisaari.
Ahtisaari also said that the conflict depends on the relationship between the major powers.
“Hopefully we will see improvement. Relationship between West and East, Russia and the rest, was not the best possible when looking for a Kosovo solution. The financial crisis has also helped us in that sense that people realized we need each other much more”.