MEETING AT THE NKR MFA

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
31 July 2006

On July 27, Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossian received Vice Speaker of the British Parliament House of
Lords Baroness Caroline Cox and a delegation, which had arrived with
her in Stepanakert. On the request of the guests the Head of the NKR
Foreign Office dwelt upon the process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement in the context of recent regional and world events. "The
Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a complicated one, as a great number
of interests are coming into collision here, which acquire a special
urgency from the standpoint of the recent events in the region and in
the world on the whole," Georgy Petrossian said. The Minister noted
that the existing format of the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict
settlement did not reflect the core of the conflict. "Unfortunately,
today, the mediators focused their attention not on the essence of the
conflict but on the liquidation of the conflicts’ consequences. We
emphasize once more that without the participation of Nagorno
Karabakh – the most suffered party to the conflict, the achievement
and realization of any agreements are impossible," Georgy Petrossian
said. Having noted that the negotiations for Nagorno Karabakh are
not an end in itself, the Minister expressed the NKR authorities’
readiness to discuss any issues, which do not infringe upon Karabakh
people’s rights and do not threaten their security. The interlocutors
also touched upon the issues of democratic development of Nagorno
Karabakh and its integration into international processes. "Today,
we face a task of development but not a survival. In this connection
we attach great importance to democratization processes. The freer
are the people, the more protected are their rights in our country
the stronger we shall be. It is a strategical way for us," Georgy
Petrossian emphasized. Baroness Cox and the delegation members,
headed by her, expressed their readiness to assist Nagorno Karabakh in
asserting its interests on the international scene and in announcing
truthful information to the world community.

PRESS-SERVICE OF THE NKR. 31-07-2006

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress