ArmenPress
June 24 2004

OPPOSITION MEMBER COMMENDS KOCHARIAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: A senior opposition member commended
today president Robert Kocharian for “voicing, for the first time, a
clear cut position on Nagorno Karabagh conflict, by saying (at PACE
session on June 23) that Karabagh has never been part of independent
Azerbaijan.”
“At last Robert Kocharian said that by deciding to break off from
Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabagh did not violate its territorial
integrity,” Aram Sarkisian, the leader of the Democratic party, told
a news conference today
“At the time of collapse of the Soviet Union two states were
formed: the Azerbaijani Republic on the territory of Azerbaijani
Soviet Socialist Republic and Republic of Nagorno Karabagh on the
territory of the Nagorno Karabagh Autonomous Region. Establishment of
both these states has similar legal grounds. The territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, henceforth, has nothing to do with the
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh,” Kocharian said in Strasbourg.
Sarkisian also praised Kocharian for saying that Armenia is ready to
discuss the issue of settling that conflict in the legal domain, but
added that he could not understand why then Kocharian spoke
enthusiastically about the Key West arrangement, “as it contains a
set of points which are unacceptable for both Armenia and Karabagh,
like automatic return of all occupied Azeri regions that would have
fatal consequences for Karabagh.” He went on to argue that neither
the “step-by-step” regulation option, advocated by Azerbaijan nor the
“package” one, supported by Armenia are feasible. Therefore,
according to him, there should a third option, a combination of both.
Concerning concessions on part of Armenia, Sarkisian said Armenia
must establish a ceiling not to go beyond it. He concluded by saying
that the regulation process will see vigorous efforts after the end
of US presidential election.