Format of Karabakh settlement talks distorted – minister

Arminfo, Yerevan
4 Feb 05

YEREVAN

The format of the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is distorted, the foreign minister of the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR], Arman Melikyan, said at a press
conference in Stepanakert today.

The minister pointed out that using this, Azerbaijan is trying to
present Armenia as an aggressor that has territorial claims to
Azerbaijan. Speaking about British MP David Atkinson’s report on
Nagornyy Karabakh, Melikyan pointed out that “we should not identify
Atkinson with the whole of Europe. After all, there are very specific
interests – European, American, Azerbaijani or Russian, and these
interests require each country to resolve certain tasks. We also have
our own interests, which should be purposefully defended in the
general contexts of interests. However, everything boils down again to
the distorted format of the negotiations in which the NKR is not
participating,” Melikyan stressed.

The minister stressed that it is very difficult to find a solution
within the framework of such a distorted format. “It is hardly
possible to find any mutually acceptable solution without the
participation of Nagornyy Karabakh in the negotiations. But this
depends not only on our desire – there are international and
Azerbaijani interests, and our task is to make the aims and interests
of Nagornyy Karabakh understandable and acceptable to others,” the
minister said.