ARE TERRITORIES IN THE PHASE OF DISCUSSION?
Lragir.am
02/12/09
The former foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Arman Melikyan with
Gagik Melikyan from the Republican Party on December 2 dwelling on
the Karabakh issue said that that process is not favorable for Armenia
and accepting its logic will make Armenia being declared an aggressor.
Arman Melikyan noted under the current conditions of the process,
Azerbaijan gets the possibility to make claims to Armenia.
The republican Gagik Melikyan of course disagreed with him saying
that the statement made in Athens by the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs,
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents proved that there is progress
in the negotiation process and Azerbaijan recognizes the fact of
Karabakh self-determination. As to being decaled an aggressor, Gagik
Melikyan says only Azerbaijan may be considered such one because no
country think Armenia is.
In answer to reporters’ question whether Gagik Melikyan could
clarify the opinions of the government on the principles of Madrid
in particular on the point of returning or not the territories, Gagik
Melikyan repeated Serge Sargsyan’s words noting that there can be no
agreement on yielding or not the territories because those issues are
in the phase of discussion. Gagik Melikyan noted that the principles of
Madrid are the non-use of force, territorial integrity and settlement
of the conflict based on the right to self-determination.
Melikyan also said that the principles of Madrid are possible to be
presented for confirmation by the end of the year.
The honorable Republican member seems to confuse the Helsinki agreement
famous provisions with the principles of Madrid. The Madrid document
which was revealed a couple of months ago contains six provisions
first of which regards the return of territories. But Melikyan keeps
affirming there is such a provision in the principles of Madrid. He
is clear to keep saying this, because in the opposition case he
would have to say the real Armenian opinion in connection with that
provision. But how can Melikyan know about it?
Arman Melikyan noted the problem is the logic of the negotiation
which is forced and leaves no way out for Armenia but only yielding
under the name of mutual concessions. According to Arman Melikyan,
this logic must be changed which is a problem not only for the current
government but also for the previous two ones.