Regnum, Russia –
May 26 2006
Nagorno Karabakh President on Montenegro referendum: `The precedent
is important’
If the international community is really ready to recognize
Montenegro and Kosovo’s independence, I believe it will be very
difficult to explain to them, why they are not ready to recognize
Nagorno Karabakh’s independence; Nagorno Karabakh President Arkady
Gukasyan, who attended the third Congress of Russia’s Armenians Union
on May 25, stated, speaking to a REGNUM correspondent. `I believe
that every question has its specificity, but, nevertheless, there are
some common positions, typical for all unrecognized states and such
conflicts – in this aspect, I believe that precedent is important,’
Gukasyan stressed, commenting on the referendum outcomes concerning
Montenegro independence.
At the same time, the NK president stressed that `Karabakh has much
more grounds – historical, legal, and geographic ones – to reckon on
independence.’
`Let us not forget that Nagorno Karabakh people defended their
independence with weapons in hands; they held out in war imposed on
it by Azerbaijan, and they are building their state now at the cost
of their best sons’ lives. I believe that we have every reason to
reckon on recognition of our independence by the international
community. In any case, I do not see any alternative for it. Nagorno
Karabakh is independent; Nagorno Karabakh will be independent, and it
does not depend on Azerbaijan’s will. This process may not be stopped
and I am sure, the international community will recognize Artsakh
sooner or later. The sooner it will do it, the more chances there
will be for prevailing of peace, order in region, and establishment
of mutual understanding between its peoples,’ Arkady Gukasyan
believes.
It is worth stressing that Montenegro may become independent as early
as in July 2006. According to outcomes of the May 21, 2006
referendum, 55.5% of inhabitants voted for Montenegro independence,
while in accordance with referendum’s conditions no less than 55% of
voters were to express some viewpoint. 86.3% of voters participated
in the referendum, which outcomes were recognized by the Serbian
authorities.