Two communities of Armenia and Azerbaijan have reached a verbal agreement on the conflict settlement.
"The agreement is a result of democratic diplomacy. It is an example of a peaceful regulation of a conflict where two communities have agreed to an exchange without losses. This is also an example of concessions," Arsen Hakobyan, a Ph.D. candidate in history, told A1+.
Following the Sumgait Massacre of February, 1988, inhabitants of Kyzyl-Shafag (Dzunashogh village, Lori Marz) and Kerkenj village (Shemakhi region, Azerbaijan) agreed on an exchange of their villages preserving each other's cemeteries.
Today's photos testify that the sides have not violated the agreement.
18 years later, in 2006, with the assistance of German Heinrich Böll Foundation, a group of Armenian and Azerbaijani scientists went to study the exchanged areas.
Arsen Hakobyan was included in the group from the Armenian side.
"The exchange shows that it is quite easy to find solutions on a horizontal level. We cannot observe the global solution of the problem but separate elements enabled the communities to overcome the problem on an individual level. In this case, the two communities did their best to resolve the conflict," says Arsen Hakobyan.
Arsen Hakobyan is uncertain as to whether Armenian and Azerbaijani residents of the communities are ready to live side by side today. A book entitled "Kyzyl-Shafag and Kerkenj. Exchange of villages during the Karbakh conflict" was published after the studies.
The sides couldn't agree on certain issues. "The preface says that the sides don't bear responsibility for each other's texts which are largely agreed upon," says Arsen Hakobyan.
The young scientist thinks highly of the book since it focuses on humanitarian processes giving birth to heroes who shoulder the responsibility for the whole process.
"This is a part of our modern history,' concluded Arsen Hakobyan.
