PanARMENIAN.Net
Second Referendum Can Become Additional Test for People of Karabakh
02.06.2006 13:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Various political figures including the President
of the NATO PA Pierre Lellouche, have many times stated of the
necessity of another referendum on self-determination among the
population of the former Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region,’ NKR
National Assembly Speaker Ashot Ghulian said. `I do not think we
should deny the idea of a second referendum. The referendum if 1991
was held in hard conditions. Stepanakert was being bombed from all
sides. But the people made a conscious choice. The Azeri part of the
population did not take part in it but it was the reflection of their
civic position. Now no one speak of the referendum of 1991 as of a
fiction or disputes its legality,’ he noted.
The NKR NA Speaker considers that a second referendum may become a
test for the people of Karabakh, since a new generation has grown up
during recent 15 years. `We paid a very high price for our
independence and I am convinced that our people will vote like they
did 15 years ago. In his words, an additional referendum will prove
that the international community recognizes the right of Nagorno
Karabakh people to self-determination.
`We state that we will never allow to escalate situation by
manipulating with the problem of the Azeri refugees. Our ways departed
long ago. Various systems of values, which became incompatible, have
formed. I think everyone should understand this fact. The additional
referendum cannot be viewed as the problem of Azeri refugees. But
there is also the problem of Armenian refugees from Baku and other
Azeri regions as well as from the NKR regions, which are still
occupied by the Azeri army,’ Ashot Ghulian said, reported Azat Artsakh
daily.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
