OBSCURE PLANS OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT IN KARABAKH

Lragir.am
27 June 06

The home political developments in Armenia are already reflected in
Nagorno Karabakh Republic, stated Alexander Arzumanyan, the former
minister of foreign affairs of Armenia, on June 27 at the Pastark
Club. Alexander Arzumanyan told news reporters that Karabakh is losing
its democratic image, which was one of the strongest trump cards of
the Armenian party in the settlement of the conflict.

Alexander Arzumanyan reminds that after the first election of Arkady
Ghukasyan Karabakh had a chance to be an island of democracy, but
now it is going to lose this chance.

"They conducted excellent presidential elections, a rather progressive
Election Code was adopted. These reforms led to an unprecedented
transparent and fair election of mayor of Stepanakert, where a
member of the opposition won. This logic should have been carried
on. I have said and I will repeat that the democratic development
of Nagorno Karabakh is one of the key warrants for settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh. And
the government of Karabakh stepped back as soon as they saw what is
going on in Armenia. Realizing that free elections suppose a change
of power, fear made them conduct the recent parliamentary election
in an Armenian manner," says Alexander Arzumanyan.

He says home political life in Karabakh is made to resemble that of
Armenia, and the system of government is made oligarchic. Alexander
Arzumanyan thinks it is necessary to do everything to save Karabakh
from this danger. "Look, the Task Force for the Constitution of Nagorno
Karabakh was set up 5-6 years ago. Nobody heard anything about the
Task Force over the past 5 years. In May the Karabakh media reported
that two out of the ten chapters of the draft constitution were ready
and they were still working on the other eight chapters.

Two weeks later it was announced that the Constitution is ready. It
aroused suspicions and worries among the society in Karabakh that the
government of Karabakh is seeking for reproduction, and Ghukasyan is
likely to run a third term," says Alexander Arzumanyan. According to
him, the Armenian government should not be allowed to implement its
obscure plants in Nagorno Karabakh.