Armenian defence minister calls for mutual concessions on Karabakh issue
Mediamax news agency
19 Apr 05
Yerevan, 19 April: “I have always been sure that the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict should be resolved on the basis of mutual compromises by
the sides,” Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan stated in
Yerevan today.
Serzh Sarkisyan said this during a news conference at the National
Press Club today, Mediamax news agency reports.
The defence minister denied the statement that the Armenian leadership
has lately been speaking more frequently than usual about the need for
compromises. Serzh Sarkisyan said that “certain forces are trying to
stage a show and convince the public that the Armenian leadership is
allegedly deviating from their principles and demonstrating excessive
‘softness’ in the settlement process”.
In this connection, the Armenian defence minister noted that the
Azerbaijani media, on the contrary, portrayed his recent statement
at the parliamentary hearings as “bellicose”.
Serzh Sarkisyan also denied the report that the Armenian authorities
are under strong pressure from the international community, which is
why they are speaking about compromises. “I can clearly tell you that
there is no pressure,” the defence minister said.
Serzh Sarkisyan expressed his confidence that there will no “secret
agreements” on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. If
the sides succeed in agreeing on the text of the peace agreement,
“then it will certainly be made public”.
The Armenian defence minister said that “the agreement will definitely
become a subject of wide public discussion, but I cannot say yet in
which format it will take place”.