Lragir, Armenia
Dec 1 2006

A BETTER THING – RECOGNITION OF KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE

The meeting of Kocharyan and Aliyev in Minsk for the settlement of
the Karabakh issue was positive, the atmosphere was constructive, the
presidents focused on the problems which remain unsettled, the talks
have not reached a deadlock, but it would not be precise to state
that the presidents reached agreement on these questions because
there are still controversies, stated the Armenian minister of
foreign affairs Vardan Oskanyan December 1 in Yerevan.

With regard to the statement of the Azerbaijani president that
Azerbaijan will not change its stance, and this stance is the
principle of territorial integrity, Vardan Oskanyan stated that
Armenia will not change its stance either, which is the right of the
nations for self-determination. `These two principles could be
combined in a referendum. It is necessary to enable the people who
live and used to live in Nagorno Karabakh to decide and choose
between territorial integrity and self-determination,’ Vardan
Oskanyan stated, adding that he means a right for self-determination
without any restrictions. Armenia may reject the proposal on holding
a referendum in Karabakh in case something better is offered, a good
alternative. For instance, if the independence of Karabakh is
recognized.

The president of Azerbaijan had also stated that the negotiations
have reached the final stage. The minister of foreign affairs of
Armenia finds it difficult to enumerate the present stage, however,
he thinks, this is not the last stage. The question of engagement of
Karabakh in the talks remains. If it were the last stage, Karabakh
would also take part in the talks for settlement. `Settlement is
impossible without the participation of Karabakh.’

The International Crisis Group has announced that the outcome of the
referendum on Constitution to be held in Karabakh will not be
recognized internationally. With regard to this Vardan Oskanyan
suggests realizing that the independence of the people of Karabakh
and their independent existence is a fact. Everyone who understands
this cannot make such statements which may frustrate the people of
Karabakh and lose their reputation among the people of Karabakh. They
cannot make statements which `encroach on the achievements of the
people of Karabakh.’

Vardan Oskanyan describes the mentioning of the right of nations for
self-determination in the EU-Armenia action plan as positive, and the
mentioning of the territorial integrity in the NATO statement on the
South Caucasus as standard. If NATO decided to dwell on the problem
of Karabakh in detail, it would mention that the problem should be
settled through negotiations between the sides, Vardan Oskanyan says.