ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: APPROACHES PROPOSED BY CO-CHAIRS PERHAPS WOULD BE
ACCEPTABLE IF AZERBAIJAN HAD NOT REJECTED THEM

YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "The peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement remains the first
and foremost task for our state and public," Andranik Margarian,
RA Prime Minister, RPA Chairman, declared at the July 22 special
congress of RPA.

Mentioning that the Republican party has repeatedly had an occasion
to present his approaches on the Artsakh problem to the public,
Andranik Margarian once more enumerated them:

"- the self-determination right of Artsakh people should be
internationally recognized;

– NKR should not be subject to Azerbaijan;

– security of NKR population and borders should be ensured;

– RA and NKR should have a common border;

– the Nagorno Karabakh settlement should not be reached at the expense
of change of RA borders;

– NKR should come up as a negotiations side in the process of peaceful
settlement."

"The negotiations process continues and lately the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs have proposed a package envisaging withdrawal of Armenian
forces from some regions adjoining Nagorno Karabakh, dislocation of
peacekeepers, holding of a referendum on NKR status. As a basis to
continue the negotiations, these approaches perhaps would be acceptable
if Azerbaijan had not rejected them on various pretexts, had not
tried to exert pressure with bellicose statements and unprecedented
growth of the military budget hoping that the problem can be solved
by force," Andranik Margarian emphasized.

Mentioning that the cease-fire has been preserved in the conflict
zone for already 12 years and greeting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-chairs, the RPA Chairman expressed the hope that their work
will have a positive impact on strengthening peace in the region:
"And the solutions should be accepatable for our society."

"We have announced that in our national and state interests we are
ready to cooperate with both regional and other states in political,
economic and military spheres. We consider that the state carries on
a balanced policy considering European integration and development of
relations within the framework of CIS to be among its foreign political
priorities, as well as by developing bilateral interstate relations. It
should be realized that the relations should be balanced, based on
the principle of equality, protection of everybody’s interests,"
the Armenian Prime Minister declared.