NAGORNO-KARABAKH STARTS REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTION

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Dec 10 2006

YEREVAN, December 10 (Itar-Tass) – Nagorno-Karabakh starts a referendum
on a Constitution of this self-proclaimed republic. A total of 278
polling stations opened at 08.00 local time in the republican capital
Stepanakert and in all Nagorno-Karabakh districts.

The only polling station outside the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh
republic (NKR) was set up in Yerevan.

Ballot papers contain only one question: "Do you agree with the
adoption of the NKR Constitution?"

Election lists contain 90,000 voters out of 137,700 people, living
in the republic, Itar-Tass learnt at the Central Commission on the
Referendum. The Constitution will be pronounced valid if at least a
third of registered voters approve it, however, no less than half of
those who go to the polls.

Observers from various countries as well as from breakaway entities
over the post-Soviet space, including Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
the Dniester republic, with which the NKR cooperates, arrived in
Stepanakert on the occasion of the referendum.

"The presence of a Constitution is one of the most important conditions
for building a law-abiding state, and opinions of all political forces
concur on this question", said NKR President Arkady Gukasyan.

"The constitutional referendum is another important stage in the
process of establishing our independent statehood and further
development of democracy in the country," claimed chairman of the
Central Commission on the Referendum Sergei Nasibyan.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has not been recognized by a single
state in the world, including Armenia which renders it military aid
and grants annually financial assistance.

Azerbaijan, in whose territory the NKR enclave is located, flatly
denies any independent status of Nagorno-Karabakh, stating its
territorial integrity.