Armenian defence minister says compromise needed to solve Karabakh’s status

Arminfo
25 Jul 05

YEREVAN

“If it is possible to solve the issue of Nagornyy Karabakh’s status at
all, then we have to make concessions,” Armenian Defence Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan told a meeting with participants of the third
Pan-Armenian Youth Forum today.

He said he had outlined his position to that effect during the latest
hearings at the Armenian National Assembly.

“I developed my opinion long ago and I am sure that the issue of
Nagornyy Karabakh’s status can be solved only on the basis of mutual
concessions,” the minister said and added that no conflicts in the
world could be solved without concessions and would eventually turn
into a dispute between winners and losers.

The minister spoke against the return of [Azerbaijani] territories,
Armenian public radio reports. He added that if Azerbaijan accepts the
conditions put forward by the Karabakh side (i.e. if Baku agrees that
Nagornyy Karabakh cannot be subordinated to Azerbaijan, that the NKR
[Nagornyy Karabakh Republic] cannot exist as an enclave, that Karabakh
should participate in progressive tendencies and enjoy security
guarantees), then it might be worth speaking about setting up a
security zone, he said.