TESSA HOFMANN: NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED BY A NEUTRAL STATE
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert

AZG Armenian Daily
27/06/2006

International workshop entitled "Nagorno Karabakh Republic: Its Past,
Present and Future" was scheduled to end on June 24 but it was closed
a day earlier.

Prior to the final session workshop participants called a press
conference to summarize results of the three-day meeting. Kamo Atanian,
NKR minister of education, culture and sport, stated in his speech
that the workshop is a unique event in independent Artsakh and that
it’s the first time such a workshop is held here. In his words, the
workshop evidenced that NKR exists as a country that independently
forges its statehood, which is able to defend its borders alone and
develop its economy and culture. He thanked all those who contributed
to workshop’s success.

Aram Simonian, rector of Yerevan State University, thinks that the
workshop showed that Artsakh is not only a center of resistance
but also a center of science and culture. The rector expressed that
young participants were not active during the conference. He also
emphasized that henceforth such workshops should be held using the
local scientific potential as outsiders can only play the role of
a detonator.

Simonian thinks that the Stepanakert workshop cannot directly
contribute to the international recognition of NKR but can create
an environment for the correct perception of the issue by the world
community and also serve as propaganda.

All speeches made at the workshop will be published in a book and
distributed to the public for the people to know the opinions
voiced there, education and culture minister said. Besides, an
announcement-document will be prepared to hand the international
structures.

Asked by daily Azg to comment on her earlier statement that it’s vital
for NKR that at least one state recognizes its independence, famous
German political scientist Tessa Hofmann said that she first of all
means the international structures engaged in Karabakh regulation. For
the world community itself it will be very weighty that any powerful
state recognizes NKR.

Asked whether NKR’s recognition by Armenia will have a positive
impact, Mrs. Hofmann said no reminding the example of Northern
Cyprus. "Recognition by an interested state can even have an opposite
effect.

It’s necessary that a neutral state takes this step," she said.

Undoubtedly, the Stepanakert workshop was a significant event
in Nagorno Karabakh regulation process. We expect that it will be
adequately evaluated abroad. It seems that the international scientific
thought has created ground for the right legal approaches to the issue.