Prague process secures Karabakh’s international recognition – Armenian minister

Mediamax news agency
22 Dec 04

Yerevan, 22 December: “The Prague process” on the Karabakh settlement
“provides great opportunities to establish Nagornyy Karabakh’s right
to self-determination and secure the international recognition of
this status,” Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in
Yerevan today.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Oskanyan said the principles
which Armenia insists on in the settlement process have not
changed. Specifically, Oskanyan said the mediators have not come up
with new proposals since the “Paris principles” and the Key West talks
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents [Robert Kocharyan
and Heydar Aliyev] in 2001.

At the same time, Oskanyan said that the Armenian side is not
keeping to the Key West principles in order not to halt the whole
peace process.

“The principles have remained the same, but have undergone certain
modifications which allow Azerbaijan to stay in the talks,” he said.

Oskanyan said that the main reason for Nagornyy Karabakh’s failure
to participate in the talks is Azerbaijan’s categorical rejection of
this. The foreign minister said that Armenia has decided to conduct
the talks without Nagornyy Karabakh so that the peace process does
not stop.

“It does not matter which of the Armenian sides participates in the
talks. The direction in which the talks are being conducted is much
more important,” Oskanyan said. However, he added that Nagornyy
Karabakh’s direct participation in the negotiations will become
inevitable at a certain point.