LEVON TER-PETROSIAN TO RESIGN BECAUSE OF KARABAKH ISSUE?
Baku Urges for Conflict Phase Settlement
Azg/am
4 June 04
The Foreign Affairs Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian stated during
yesterday’s meeting with Yerevan State University students that the
Karabakh issue was not the most solemn reason of Levon Ter-Petrosian’s
resignation.
Mr. Oskanian said that he dreads the Armenian press as the newspapers
distort the reality. He suggested that some high-rank officials should
write objective memoirs on this issue.
Speaking of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Mr. Oskanian said that
Azerbaijan desires phase settlement for the conflict.
According to that option, the armed forces should be removed from
Karabakh and only then the sides will decide what is the status of
Karabakh. The first president of Armenia (Levon Ter-Petrosian) this
alternative considered acceptable. But today’s authorities believe
that only the package alternative, which puts the status of Nagorno
Karabakh first, is the way out.
According to the Foreign minister, the negotiation processes took a
good course and in 1 or 2 months it will become clear if Azerbaijan
will take the path of Robert Kocharian and Heydar Aliyev or not.
To a student’s question about the future of Karabakh as Armenia
pictures it Mr. Oskanian said that Armenia pushes for Karabakh
people’s self-determination. He also noted that reunion of Karabakh
with Armenia is desirable.
Concerning the Balkan model of peace imposing Mr. Oskanian said that
the world community takes such steps only in case when a conflict
persists and the number of casualties increase. In case of the Balkans
we had a leader like Slobodan Moloshevic who was acting against the
world community.
Speaking of Azerbaijan’s belligerent statements Mr. Oskanian
said that the chances for war restarting are theoretical but not
practical. He said that Azerbaijan hopes to earn millions of dollars
from Baku-Djeyhan oil-pipe line to solve the Karabakh conflict
with military means but the oil consortiums and investors will need
stability and peace in the country they invest. In that case Azerbaijan
won’t be able to decide for himself. From this perspective Mr.
Oskanian viewed the oil-pipe line as a positive factor.
By Tatoul Hakobian