SAHVARSH KOCHARYAN: ARMENIA DRAWN INTO CONFLICT
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 24 2009
Armenia
It is the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Azerbaijan
that are principal parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The
latter is trying to resolve the problem by force. As regards Armenia,
it was drawn into the conflict, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh
Kocharyan stated in his interview with Ekho Moskvy.
"It is the accomplished fact of Karabakh’s self-determination that
is the root of the conflict, which caused Azerbaijan to launch a
strongarm policy against Karabakh," Sh. Kocharyan said.
As regards the possibility of the conflict being settled by force, he
expressed hope that, despite regular threats issued by the Azerbaijani
leaders, they will be wise enough not to repeat blunders. Should
Azerbaijan resume hostilities, Armenia will behave just as it did
in 1990s. In that case, Sh. Kochzryan said, Azerbaijan will only
contribute to the NKR’s international recognition.
As to what the mediators mean by the expression of free will by
the Nagorno-Karabakh people, which is one of the Madrid Principles
– the possibility of an independent state or forms of autonomy as
part of Azerbaijan – Kocharyan said: "The mediators are well aware of
international law to mean what the people themselves actually mean. It
is free will, with people themselves to decide. This is what the Madrid
Principles mean." He also stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh people
have decided the issue twice: during a referendum in the Soviet times,
and during a constitutional referendum 15 year ago. "In this case,
the mediators propose one more referendum as a compromise. Naturally,
they are not going to impose their will on the people. It is up to
the people to decide," Sh. Kocharyan said.
Speaking of the roles played by each of the mediators, Sh. Kocharyan
pointed out that one has the impression that the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs have synchronized their actions. The recent statement
made by the Russian, French and American Presidents is evidence
thereof. "If anyone is to blame for the conflict remaining unsettled,
it is the conflicting parties, not the mediators. To be more precise,
it is Azerbaijan’s unconstructive position," Kocharyan said.