Any conflict, even a protracted one, can be resolved. However, it requires will, bold decisions and, perhaps, political sacrifice, said Jonathan Powell, who served as chief of staff to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and chief negotiator for the resolution of conflict with Northern Ireland. He is taking part in the roundtable "Establishing peace and peaceful co-existence after an armed conflict - Cyprus and Northern Ireland" in Yerevan. The roundtable has been jointly organized by the Caucasus Institute and International Alert.

Mr. Powell stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh and Northern Ireland conflicts do not have much in common. He pointed out a number of features typical of protracted conflicts. If the conflicting parties fail to find the common ground, an attempt should be made to change the statement of the question. The most important thing is to launch the process, without stopping it later. This serious process requires political will. The most important thing for the conflicting parties is to reject their desire for being a sure winner. Each of the sides must consider itself a winner. However acute and complicated the problem is, it can be resolved if it is fully and properly dealt with, Mr. Powell said.