Zhirayr Sefilian: "There is no Nagorno Karabakh conflict: the issue
has been settled long ago"

Regnum, Russia
July 12 2006

"There is no Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as the question was settled
long ago," Defense of Liberated Territories public initiative
coordinator, former Commander of Shushi special battalion Zhirayr
Sefilian is quoted as saying at a news conference at the Armenian
National Press Club on July 12.

According to him, "there is no threat of losing these territories
either." It has been said about surrender of the "liberated
territories" to Azerbaijan for 15 years, and ten years ago there was
a danger to lose them too, but all the processes have been shallow.
"Opinion of the Armenian authorities does not coincide with attitudes
of the people. If the government tires to cede these territories
to Azerbaijan, our people will react to it and will not allow it,"
Zhirayr Sefilian said adding that he would the first to initiate such
public protest.

According to him, the Nagorno Karabakh has already been settled:
"There is only a question of Azerbaijan." "Why should we take into
account borders of a state that was established 90 years ago," the
former commander announced adding that "existence of such artificial
state causes damage to the whole region." The Defense of Liberated
Territories public initiative coordinator also noted that the US has
no interest in settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. "The USA
wishes to strengthen its positions in South Caucasus and by its policy
it is withdrawing Armenia from Russia’s influence, and the conflict
is of no concern to it," noted Sefilian. He also believes that no
peacekeeping contingent will be deployed until there is a Russian
military base in Armenia’s territory. "Presence of two forces in the
region will aggravate the situation in the region and can provoke a
conflict situation," he thinks.