THE RA IS READY TO NEGOTIATE WITHOUT THE NKR STATUS CLARITY
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[07:37 pm] 18 April, 2006
INSIDE THE HALL
“We always claimed that the NKR status must be finally decided so
that the Armenian side could negotiate and implement the procedure of
abolishing military conflict outcomes; territory, refugee and security
issues,” the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said today in the
8th session of the EU – Armenian Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
and added that this position already changed as a compromise from the
Armenian side and today’s position is as follows, “We simply say that
the Azeri side accepted the fact that the population of Karabakh has
a right to self-determination and even if the self-determination is
to be realized in the future the Armenian side is ready to discuss
the abolishment of the conflict outcome; the territory, refugee
and security issues. I think this is a serious compromise from the
Armenian side.” According to him the Azeri side has not responded
yet and they have much work to do with the Azeri side so that they
will make a “step ahead in favour of Armenia’.” Vardan Oskanyan also
spoke of a one concerning matter – the Azeri militarist announcements,
“If this problem had a military solution it would have been solved
long ago. There is no solution, Armenians participated in two wars and
won both of them but we don’t consider ourselves winners. We won the
battle but the menace of the war is still apparent as Azerbaijan is
inclined to make militarist announcements; but we need peace.” Then
Vardan Oskanyan asked the Europeans to make the Azeri stop their
militarist oratory, “They must be clearly told that nobody will allow
them to launch a war with Armenia, this will be very essential and I
think that the EC will be involved in this procedure, Azerbaijan must
realize that there is no other alternative for peaceful settlement.”
OUTSIDE THE HALL
The Foreign Minister told the journalists after his speech during the
briefing, “Even judging from the Azeri announcements we can assume that
the compromise spirit is not the same with the two sides. We stepped
into a phase which requires compromise spirit and political will
power. Without them the prospect of the conflict peaceful settlement
is improbable and obscure. The Azeri announcements arouse concern and
it is very vital that the EC and other European institutions put the
question directly before Azerbaijan.” The Foreign Minister informed
that the co-chairs’ separate visits mustn’t be covered in other way,
“There is no political matter, just the dates and schedules didn’t
match; the co-chairs will visit the region together at the beginning
of May.”
Asked the question whether the Minister is sure the Armenian society
will accept the authorities’ decision to go on a compromise in
such a way Oskanyan answered, “They are unaware of the details, the
principle of regional wholeness has always been prevailing, that is
why it is important today that the Armenian side fixes the right to
self-determination at first and then goes ahead. Only after it we
can share with the population.”
By the way, Vardan Oskanyan informed the Europeans in his speech
that the meeting of the Presidents in Rambouillet was not a failure;
“The Rambouillet meeting didn’t turn out well as the matter was not
solved; the Presidents were not able to solve the issue but this was
not a total failure of the procedure.”
he also stated that there was serious ground for the co-chairs meeting
with the Presidents in Rambouillet, “It was agreed upon in 2005 and
was put on the agenda of the day and it gave a hope for having certain
progress and achievement in the next months,” said Vardan Oskanyan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress