RA DEFENSE MINISTER: HARD TO IMAGINE MORE SUITABLE MEDIATION FORMAT THAN OSCE MG

Yerkir
07.03.2006 12:03

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – The absence of the Armenian-Azeri relations is
conditioned by the unsettled Nagorno Karabakh conflict, says the report
titled ” Directions of National Security Strategy of the Republic of
Armenia” issued by Secretary at the National Security Council at the
RA President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan.

“The frozen Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijani policy on
the issue jeopardize Armenia’s security. Azerbaijan’s militaristic
policy targeted at settlement of the conflict via achievement of
military advantage over Armenia is a direct threat for Armenia’s
security. Such policy is pregnant with destabilization in the region,”
the report notes.

Besides, it says, the existence of permanent military threat impedes
the conduction of reforms in the defense sector and forces to
armament race.

Moreover, Baku continually incites the Azeri people to hatred towards
Armenians.

Such conduct is inadmissible for a country forming a system of
European values and proves that these principles are proclaimed by
the Azerbaijani authorities for show only.

Thus the necessity of providing Armenia’s military security demands
high efficiency of the RA Armed forces, whose principal tasks are
security of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, inviolability of borders
and repulse of any aggression. The document says Azerbaijan’s attempts
to transfer the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict from the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group to the UN, Council of Europe or
NATO also create a threat.

These threats are accompanied by misinforming activities carried
out by the Azerbaijani propaganda machine, which brings benefit to
Azerbaijan within the international organizations not familiarized
with the core of the problem.

The OSCE Minsk Group presented by Russia, the U.S. and France maximally
reflects the correlation on forces showing interest in the regional
processes.

Besides, the document says, these three co-chair states are the
permanent members of the UN Security Council and it’s hardly possible
to imagine a worthier format of mediation.

Armenia sees the settlement of the Karabakh problem within the OSCE
Minsk Group, via concessions and proceeding from the necessity of
physical guarantee of Armenians of Karabakh, international guarantees,
overland border with Armenia, non-resumption of war as well as creation
of conditions essential for its sustainable development. Armenia will
adopt the variants of settlement excluding Karabakh’s subordination
to Azerbaijan or enclave existence of Karabakh. All the possible
concessions should be made with maintenance of these principles.