Return of Territories out of Question before NKR Recognition

Return of Territories out of Question before NKR Recognition

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.07.2006 16:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We are not going to return territories, which
serve as security zone for Nagorno Karabakh," NKR Defense Minister,
lieutenant general Seyran Ohanyan stated at a news conference in
Stepanakert. He remarked that Karabakh supports exclusively peaceful
settlement of the conflict.

"Azerbaijan imposed a war on us and we had to solve the problem by
force. Territories controlled by Nagorno Karabakh are not end in
itself, but serve as security zone," he underscored.

The NKR Defense Minister emphasized that questions of territories and
deployment of peacekeeping forces of an international peacekeeping
contingent should be considered only at the final phase of settlement,
after the core issue – determination of the Nagorno Karabakh status –
is solved. "If there is not decision over the core issue, return of
territories is out of question," Ohanyan said.

Speaking of the probability of resumption of hostilities within the
context of militarist statements of the Azeri President, he said
that the Azeri party does not wish to launch a war. In his opinion,
militant rhetoric is aimed at testing the public opinion and is aimed
at domestic goals. The Minister said the NKR Defense Army has a plan
of counter measures, aimed at defense. At the same time Ohanyan said,
"If there is an extraordinary situation, the life will show what
everyone is capable of."

Commenting on the proposal of Chief of the General Staff of the Armed
Forces of Armenia on the need to involve Karabakh detachments in joint
exercises of Russia and Armenia, Ohanyan remarked, the NKR Defense
Army is always ready to take part in these, reports IA De-Facto.