OSKANIAN: WE ARE ON FAVORABLE GROUND IN KARABAKH ISSUE

Azg/arm
11 March 05

At the March 9 press conference foreign minister of Armenia, Vartan
Oskanian, called “absolutely non-realistic” last press publications
saying that Baku and Yerevan are going to sign a versatile document
on Karabakh issue in Prague on May 2. “There is no need to delve into
this; there is nothing like that,” Vartan Oskanian cut short.

The so-called Prague process, according to Oskanian, is to discuss
all issues concerning refugees, territories and the status of Nagorno
Karabakh but “it is not true that we reached an agreement”. “No
document was created during the talks to lie as basis for future
negotiation process”, minister said.

Vartan Oskanian disagreed with the idea that the Armenian diplomacy is
losing ground in the conflict settlement process. “We are on favorable
ground in Karabakh issue”, minister said adding that Yerevan and
Stepanakert have no discords in settlement issue.

Oskanian assured that Nagorno Karabakh is not left out of the talk
process. “Though representatives of Stepanakert are not directly
engaged in the talks, they are well aware of their content”, he said.

The foreign minister of Nagorno Karabakh said lately that “the
negotiation format is distorted because of which Baku manages to
present the issue as a result of Armeniaâ~@~Ys aggression”. “I
canâ~@~Yt say that Nagorno Karabakh is left out of the talks but if
you want the issue to be settled then Karabakh and Azerbaijan should
talk to each other”, he said.

Vartan Oskanian said that the issue of Karabakh peopleâ~@~Ys
self-determination is still key for Yerevan. He said that “the
territory where Karabakh people made its choice never was part of
independent Azerbaijan.

Vartan Oskanian noted that the wording “occupied territories”
circulating in last reports on Armenia is not something new as it has
always been there since 1993. Moreover, minister thinks that such
wordings do not mean that Armenia is an occupant. “Cannot Karabakh
army occupy territories?”, Oskanian posed a rhetoric question.

By Tatoul Hakobian

–Boundary_(ID_kmwlkUSfXZsvAG936pWIOQ)–