Karabakh accuse Azeri media of adverse coverage

Nagornyy Karabakh Foreign Ministry, Stepanakert
2 Aug 05

Text of report by press release from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic on 2 August headlined “Commentary on
the publication of the article ‘NKR torpedoes the peace process” in
the 23 July issue of Zerkalo newspaper

Representatives of the Azerbaijani mass media, having no idea of the
details of the peace process on the Karabakh problem and its
political and legal aspects, publish articles in which information
from Stepanakert is misconstrued. As a result, an atmosphere
hindering the understanding of human values and consideration of any
alternative means and goals is created in Azerbaijani society.

There is no doubt that the search for a mutually profitable and fair
settlement of the Karabakh conflict is possible only via the
establishment of effective communications between the Nagornyy
Karabakh Republic [NKR] and the Azerbaijani Republic.

In this connection, it should be re-emphasized that any settlement of
the Karabakh conflict, the current stage of which started with such a
humanitarian catastrophe as mass killings of Armenians in Sumqayit
and Baku, as well as further ethnic cleansing, deportation and
expulsion of nearly 500,000 Armenian citizens of the former
Azerbaijani SSR in 1988-1990, must, first of all, propose the
restoration of justice and reparation for moral and financial losses
to these people, including the recognition of their right to have
their motherland.

The Azerbaijani leadership is entirely responsible for unleashing
hostilities and for their results, including the issue of paying
reparations to all the refugees and internally displaced persons who
suffered from these actions, regardless of their nationality and
current citizenship.

Starting with a humanitarian catastrophe, the Karabakh conflict must
be settled only in the humanitarian dimension and in full accordance
with the fundamental principles and goals of international law.

[Signed] The information-analytical department of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic