VARTAN OSKANIAN: AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO ABORT SETTLEMENT PROCESS BY ARMENIA’S HANDS

AZG Armenian Daily
29/09/2006

Meanwhile Karabakh Is a Place That Exists in Reality

Within the framework of the UN Assembly 61st session, RA foreign
minister and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs discussed the current
situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, i.e. there was
an intention to hold a ministerial meeting in New York, after the
meeting in Paris, but he GUAM suggestion to discuss the regional
conflicts at UN changed the situation. Thus, the Armenian side
suggested to postpone the meeting. Besides, according to Vartan
Oskanian, the Armenian side doesn’t evade the meeting.

He added that the new developments in the UN deprive the coming
ministerial meeting of any sense.

In an interview to RFE/RL, Oskanian touched upon the evaluations
of the Azeri side regarding Nagorno Karabakh, particularly, they
say that Armenia has elaborated a myth on the historical past and
the economic achievements of NKR. In his turn, Oskanian said that
Karabakh is a place that exists in reality and the representatives
of the international community may go there and check the situation
themselves. He emphasized that any attempts of Azerbaijan to deny
this reality are doomed to failure.

As for the current stage of the negotiations, in his speech,
Vartan Oskanian confirmed the agreement of Armenia to the principles
discussed, adding that "Azerbaijan not obviously tries to show that
they break the agreements that are achieved till now, and this is the
main concern." Moreover, Oskanian said that the current position of
Azerbaijan is meant to abort the OSCE Minsk group process and to do
that with the help of Armenia.

Vartan Oskanian confirmed the existence of the referendum in the
document that the Azeri side evades to sign. As for the coming
Oskanian-Mamediarov next meeting, before that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs will have telephone conversations or may visit the
region. He didn’t exclude the resumption of direct negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan both at the level of president and
the foreign ministers.

Oskanian added that the presidents may meet only after the meeting
of the foreign ministers.