ARKADY GHOUKASSIAN: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD CONSTRUCT ITS RELATIONS WITH KARABAKH REGARDLESS OF AZERBAIJAN
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Dec 18 2006
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Arkady Ghoukassian expressed
satisfaction with a meeting held with the European Union Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby. The meeting took
place December 17 at the NKR Permanent Representation in RA.
‘~RI am satisfied with the meeting, in the course of which we discussed
a number of important issues. One of the principal subjects was
a Constitutional referendum and the international response to it,
which I do not comprehend. It is not the fact of the referendum’s
conduct that should have been discussed, but the essence of the
Constitution, whether it is good or bad, if it corresponds to the
European criteria. Perhaps, it would be more correct to compare the
NKR Constitution with that of Azerbaijan. It would be logical. As
for the EU response, in my opinion, it was illogical, and I told Mr.
Semneby about it’~R, A. Ghoukassian said.
According to the NK President, the international community should
promote democratic processes in the Nagorno-Karabagh. ‘~RThe
Constitution’s adoption does not hamper the talks; on the contrary,
it promotes the negotiation process. It is very important for the
international community to be aware of the NK people’s sense and its
approaches to various issues’~R, the NKR President stated.
Another important topic of the discussions held between the NKR
President and the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
was the necessity to establish close connections between the NKR
and EU. According to Arkady Ghoukassian, Peter Semneby reacted quite
positively to the idea. ‘~RMr. Semneby will visit the NK. The call
is likely to be paid late January 2007. We have agreed to discuss
the issues referring to our interrelations in detail in the course
of the visit. I believe the subject is of great importance for us.
Naturally, we are all interested in the rapid settlement of the NK
issue. However, we have got no guarantees that it will be resolved
in the near future. It is not the NK people’s fault that they live in
the unrecognized country, being deprived of all privileges enjoyed by
the people living in the recognized countries. The ties may be both
political and economic. We discussed some subjects. I am sure the
meetings of the kind will be held more often’~R, A. Ghoukassian stated.
Answering a DE FACTO question, the NKR President said he had
discussed the issue of the Armenian refugees with the EU Special
Representative. ‘~RI can’t recall any meeting I held with the
international community’s representatives, in the course of which
the issue was not discussed. It was also considered at the meeting
with Mr. Semneby. I do not understand the logic, according to which
they are trying to resolve the problem of the Azeri refugees first
and only then to return to the Armenian refugees’ issues. I can’t
say the international community’s representatives believe it should
be like this; however, the issue’s logic is so obvious that, in my
view, both Mr. Semneby and the representatives of other international
structures will pay attention to the fact by all means. It is dangerous
to consider an issue out of the context’~R.
The NKR President reminded that in the course of his two
electoral campaigns he had promised to the NK people to do his
best for the NKR to have its Constitution. ‘~RI considered it’s
my duty to promote the issue’s solution. We could have adopted the
Constitution much earlier. However, there were a lot of questions to
be replied. First, we had to summarize the fifteen years’ experience,
realize what we need, what sort of country we are constructing –
Parliamentary, Presidential or semi-Presidential, which government
mechanisms we should adopt. We have solved a lot of political and
non-political issues for these years. And it is our business – to
have a Constitution or not. Sure, we could have lived without it. We
have adopted the Constitution first of all for ourselves, because,
I think, the Constitution opens a new page in the NK life and creates
new possibilities for the NK’s democratization’~R, the head of the
Nagorno-Karabagh stated.
Answering a question if the NKR expected such a reaction of the
international community, Arkady Ghoukassian mentioned active work
Azerbaijan carried on at the international structures. ‘~RAzerbaijan’s
hysterics and its pressure are familiar to me. I know Azerbaijan
talks to the international community in the ultimatum’s language. It
blackmails: either you condemn, or we break off our relations with the
EU. It is not clear for me, why the international community surrenders
to the intimidation; it does not promote either the democratization of
Azerbaijan, or NK. I think the international community could construct
its relations with the Nagorno-Karabagh regardless of Azerbaijan’~R,
the NK President said.
In his words, the NKR is ready to construct its relations with the EU
and the organization’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus
within the frames of his functional responsibilities. ‘~RWe have come
to an agreement to discuss the issues in detail in Stepanakert late
January. I have presented specific issues Mr. Semneby promised to
discuss. Besides, I have informed him of the fact that we are going to
hold Presidential elections in July – August, and I asked him if we
should hold them or not. However, to Mr. Semneby’s honor, he said he
considered the elections necessary and very important and personally
he believes they must not be condemned’~R, A. Ghoukassian noted.
When asked to express his attitude to the possibility of reducing
the talks’ activeness before Parliamentary elections in RA Arkady
Ghoukassian remarked the process could hardly be artificially
activated or vice versa. ‘~RCurrent negotiation process is a bit
strange, as there are no talks within the Minsk group’s frames. The
OSCE Budapest summit just charged the Co-Chairs to organize talks
with all the conflict parties. It is not being done. Actually,
the MG Co-Chairs do not fulfill their duties on the resumption of
an active negotiation process within the MG frames, where the NK,
Armenia and Azerbaijan are presented’~R, Arkady Ghoukassian stated.
Summing up the results of the current year, the NKR President said,
‘~Rthis year we have continued what we did not manage to finish in
2005. There is one incontestable truth for me. We are approaching
the ideals we have charted step by step. Economic situation has
considerable improved. The political situation is healthy and
competitive. We have got opposition, but we have no hatred. We have
got no tension, we have got inner stability’~R.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
