Armenian defence minister denies giving away Karabakh to Azerbaijan

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
9 Dec 04

Text of Vaagn Ovakimyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak on 9 December headlined “Let us reach the river then bare our
feet”

Recently the topic of the Karabakh talks has become the most urgent
problem in the domestic political life of Armenia. Defence Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan comments on this.

[Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, what is your attitude
towards the rumours about returning the territories?

[Serzh Sarkisyan] Rumours are spread from time to time that there is
even a signed document and that the territories have been
returned. There are three principles and we can settle the Karabakh
issue only based on them: the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh Republic] cannot
be part of Azerbaijan any longer, Karabakh should have a land border
with Armenia, and Karabakh should have strong security guarantees,
including guarantees that there will be no war.

[Correspondent] Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan assessed
negatively the policy conducted by the Armenian authorities since
1998. It becomes clear from his words that in this matter Armenia has
found itself in deadlock. What do think of this?

[Sarkisyan] Any person has the right to express his or her view. I
think we are not in deadlock. Rumours were also spread about the
surrender of Megri, which did not come true later. I assure you that
there was no problem of this kind and there could not be any. Today
there is no ground to speak about deadlock.

[Correspondent] Anyway, Ter-Petrosyan assessed the negotiating process
negatively. What can you say?

[Sarkisyan] You want me to express my view regarding Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. I would like to generalize and say that today Armenia
is not facing deadlock. Today, according to all the parameters,
Armenia is more developed than in 2001, 2002, 1993 or 1991. This is
evident, and it is their problem if someone does not want to see this.

[Correspondent] Do you not think that recently the Armenian political
authorities seem not to be able to come to an agreement regarding
important issues and to make decisions? For instance, concerning the
Electoral Code.

[Sarkisyan] This is the first time I have heard this view. There is
nothing like that. The vote on the Electoral Code is delayed because
it is necessary to submit a draft passed in the first reading to
international experts for checking so that tomorrow they do not say
that it does not correspond to international norms.

[Correspondent] What is your attitude towards the formation of the
opposition according to a new format, which promises to be a
pro-Western political force? It is supposed that its creation is
conditioned by the developments in Georgia and Ukraine.

[Sarkisyan] I do not think that a statement about orientation may
become a basis for assessments. Actions can cause assessments, let us
live and see. But who says that the pro-Western orientation is bad? I
see no problem here. I do not know why, but Abkhazia has been recently
removed from the list of pro-Western countries, the context is clear
in this case: do not bare your feet before reaching the river.

[Correspondent] Now that the National Assembly has endorsed the state
budget, are rumours about possible change in the government real?

[Sarkisyan] I am not aware of these rumours. I think it would be more
correct to ask the president of the republic and the prime minister
about this. I am not aware of any change.