KARABAKH PROBLEM – CONFLICT BETWEEN KARABAKH AND AZERI PEOPLES BUT NOT TERRITORIAL DISPUTE

ARMINFO News Agency
October 6, 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6. ARMINFO. The Karabakh problem is a c conflict
between the peoples of Karabakh and Azerbaijan but not a territorial
dispute, Head of the OSCE Department of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry
Varouzhan Nersissyan said during today’s NATO Rose Roth seminar
in Yerevan.

In late XX the League of Nations refused to recognize Karabakh as
part of Azerbaijan as this posed a threat to the Karabakh people.

That is exactly why Karabakh rose for liberation war. As a result the
territorial around Karabakh were taken under control as a pledge of
security while other Armenian territories – Getashen, Martunashen,
Shahumyan – still remain occupied by Azerbaijan. Armenia is doing its
best to resolve the conflict and knows that there is no alternative to
peace talks. As to Karabakh it should be a full party to the talks. The
international community should support the Karabakh people and should
find compromise between the principles of territorial integrity and
self-determination. This is the goal of the OSCE MG.

Nerissisyan is concerned that Azerbaijan is openly increasing its
military budget. None of the conflicting parties has the right to make
such statements especially as the only way is to resolve the conflict
by peace. This may result in escalation of militarist moods in the
region. At the same time Nersissyan doubts that big military budget
will help Azerbaijan as its army is utterly corrupt. The international
community should condemn such statements. The Armenian side is for
budgetary monitoring curbing military appetites. says Nersissyan.

It should be noted that despite invitation Turkey is not attending the
seminar while Azerbaijan is represented unofficially – by President
of Independent Research Center Leyla Alieva.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress