ARTSAKH: DEVELOPMENTS AND PERSPECTIVES
Gevorg Haroutyunyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 27, 2008
Armenia
The international symposium devoted to the "The Twentieth Anniversary
of the Karabakh Movement: Developments and Perspectives" was held in
Stepanakert last Friday and Saturday.
The unprecedented meeting was attended by specialists, well-aware
of the Artsakh issue; they were invited from the Russian Federation,
Germany, Greece, Belgium, the United States, Iran and the unrecognized
republics of Transdniestria and Abkhazia.
At the request of "Hayots Ashkharh", GAGIK MINASYAN, Head of one of
the NA Committees, sums up the results of the symposium.
"Mr. Minasyan, what issues were discussed during the two-day
symposium?"
"The principal issues included in the agenda of the symposium
were divided into three sections. The speeches were devoted to
the following topics: ‘The Historical-Legal Substantiations of the
Self-Determination of Nagorno Karabakh and the International Law’,
‘The Peculiarities of the International Perception of the Nagorno
Karabakh Problem and the Current Geopolitical Developments’ and
‘The International Challenges in the Karabakh Settlement Process’.
The analysis of Professor Alexander Manasyan, Doctor of Philosophy
from the Yerevan State University, deserved special attention. He is
one of the best specialists in the sphere of the legal settlement
of the Artsakh Issue. In a speech devoted to the "Peculiarities of
the Legal Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh Problem" he underlined
the legal potentials that have not been used so far and have not
replenished our diplomatic arsenal.
In his talk, Major General Hayk Kotandjyan, Head of the National
Strategic Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense, touched upon
the issue of the arguments being substantiated. Vardan Oskanyan too,
separated four main factors that may also produce an impact on the
process of settling the problems. Then, he expressed an opinion that
the settlement process is entering a new stage with new challenges
in store for us, and we should unite all our efforts not to step back
from our positions."
"What impression did you get of the present-day Artsakh?"
"After the symposium we went to Gandzasar and the neighboring
village of Vank; then we visited one of the military units of the
NKR Army. Before that, Artsakh, which participated in the symposium
with quite serious scientific potential, proved with the talks of its
representatives that high-quality scientific-political-diplomatic elite
has developed in the NKR after the country’s gaining independence.
It is obvious that the accomplished government system with all
its subdivisions, as well as this particular structure enjoys the
people’s absolute trust. It is impossible not to take this fact into
consideration because in all the possible international tribunals,
the NKR may have a full participation as an independent party.
Gandzasar is the symbol of the firmness of Artsakh’s spiritual
unanimity and triumphant spirit. This is the place where you realize
that no one will ever manage to impose unnecessary concessions on
the people who have created a unique monument like Gandzasar and who
have never avoided protecting all their monuments and their land. In
the village of Vank, we participated in the school-leaving ceremony
of the pupils who were born in the independent state of Artsakh and
cannot imagine that either they or their country may ever be dependent
on others. The factor of a human being who was born on the land of
his ancestors and created an independent statehood cannot be ignored
by anyone.
There is another, no less important fact that I would like to
underline. All the graduates of the Gandzasar school, a modern,
furnished and technically equipped building, had Armenian names. This
is also an evidence of returning to the roots of ancestors, a factor
that cannot but be considered.
In the military unit, we saw and felt the fighting spirit of the
Armenian soldier. The neat dwelling places of our soldiers, the
canteen and the arsenal arouse the feeling of respect and a joy of
heart. This is the present-day situation of the Karabakh Army. This
is the product of our achievements."
"And what prospects do you see for the settlement of the Artsakh
problem?"
"Karabakh declared its independence and became self-determined
seventeen years ago. The document currently on the table first of
all respects the people’s right to self-determination. There’s no
alternative to this principle and the solution to the conflict should
be found within the limits of this particular right. This is our
principal achievement, and we must do our best for avoiding retreat
and moving forward constantly."