OSKANIAN: ONE MAY NOT DEPRIVE PEOPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT, SIMPLY COMING OUT OF POLITICAL APPROPRIATENESS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 25 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
participated on September 22-23 in the 10th Bertelsmann forum held
in Berlin.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Prime
Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, EU Commission Chairman Jose
Manuel Barroso and Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt made
opening speeches as the "Europe’s Strategic Responses" international
conference. The conference at which more that 100 politicians were
present, including former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany
Hans-Dietrich Genscher and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger, was dedicated to prospects of the "Europe’s Strategic
Responses."

Minister Oskanian participated in a discussion on the theme
"The Balkans – The Black Sea: Litmus Test for Europe", in which
the Presidents of Bulgaria, Romania and Azerbaijan and the Prime
Minister of Montenegro participated as well. During the discussion
Minister Oskanian affirmed that an effective implementation of the
EU New Neighborhood Policy, practical approach to conflicts and
completeness and functioning of the Black Sea region are a litmus
test of the region for Europe.

During an active discussion on the Kosovo issue, Minister Oskanian
warned that one may not deprive people of the self-determination
right, simply coming out of political appropriateness. "If the world
was led by a fear of creating new precedents, a half of the world
states would not exist. At the same time clear standards must be the
main principles of which the issue will be if the state has a moral
authority of existence," V.Oskanian mentioned.