RIA Novosti, Russia
March 11 2006

Karabakh’s self-determination key to settlement – minister
13:38 | 11/ 03/ 2006

YEREVAN, March 11 (RIA Novosti) – The right of the breakaway region
of Nagorny Karabakh to self-determination is crucial for a peace
settlement, the Armenian foreign minister said Saturday.

“Whether Azerbaijan likes this or not, it will have to deal with the
problem as it is on the agenda, and in this context, Azerbaijan is
coming under considerable pressure,” Vardan Oskanyan said.

“If we can reach a compromise solution, I think we could restart the
peace process,” he said.

Earlier, the Armenian defense minister said that Azerbaijan’s
attempts to extend the settlement in the conflict surrounding the
breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh beyond the current framework
posed a potential threat to Armenia.

“These attempts are accompanied by a disinformation campaign
conducted by Azerbaijan’s propaganda machine, which Baku uses to
score points with international organizations unfamiliar with the
conflict,” Serge Sargsyan, who is also secretary of the Armenian
president’s National Security Council, said in his report on the
country’s security strategy.

The Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group
was set up in 1992 to facilitate peace talks between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. It is co-chaired by Russia, France, and the U.S. and has
representation from Turkey, the U.S., several European nations,
Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The conflict between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and
Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region with a
largely Armenian population, first erupted in 1988, when the region
claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people were reported dead on both sides between 1988 and
1994, and over 100 others died after a ceasefire was concluded in
1994, leaving Nagorny Karabakh in Armenian hands, but tensions
between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.