NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT MAY ORIGINATE ONLY IN 2009-2010: RPA MEMBER

ARMINFO News Agency
October 11, 2006 Wednesday

New opportunities for settlement of Karabakh conflict many originate
only in 2009-2010. Everything depends on the forces to come to power
in Armenia, Nagorny Karabakh and Azerbaijan in that period of time,
said Armen Ashotyan, MP representing the Republican Party of Armenia.

The party is in the ruling parliamentary coalition.

He said that the international community, at least they in the
Council of Europe, are aware that the possibilities of the conflict’s
settlement in the current year have been exhausted. Any progress in
the period of pre-election campaigns in Armenia and Azerbaijan are
not expected either.

Armen Ashotyan thinks that if South Ossetia or Abkhazia are returned
under protectorate of Georgia, they in Azerbaijan may fall into
a regular hysteria regarding Nagorny Karabakh. In the case with
Kosovo, the world community does not think it a precedent for other
conflicts. However, if Georgia returns one of its former autonomous
regions, we may face an application of dual standards with respect
to Karabakh by international community.

Armen Ashotyan said the new Constitution of NKR can become a
good calling card for Karabakh as it testifies to higher level of
democracy than that in Azerbaijan. He added that if NKR President
Arkady Ghouakssyan runs for a third term, it will not be a violation
of democratic norms given the problem of security of NKR.

As regards the issue of frozen conflicts put on the agenda of UN
General Assembly, Armen Ashotyan said it was not a defeat of Armenia’s
foreign policy. "The voting was not against Armenia but Russia as a
serious player in the region. Our only omission was that we failed
to separate the Karabakh problem from others," he said.

"Given the last curtsy of Azerbaijan to Russia, I’d like to warn the
public of the danger of statements by a number of political figures,
who think it necessary orientating at the West in the settlement of
Karabakh conflict," A. Ashotyan said for conclusion.