A FEW WORDS ABOUT REFERENDUM
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
21/12/2006
Commenting on the recent constitutional referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh,
Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian said that attempts not
to recognize the referendum’s results can still be understood, but
statements that the referendum hampers the peace process are quite
unacceptable. To his opinion the referendum has even contributed the
peace process. Mr. Oskanian said that the international structures
should have rather supported the initiative of the people of Karabakh,
thus preventing Azerbaijan from speculations and complicating the
negotiation process. He expressed confidence that very soon the results
of the referendum will be commonly accepted de facto. He said that
the attitude of the West to the referendum is already being changed
to more positive. The Foreign Minister said that the only objection
to the referendum is that it actually pre-determines the results of
the negotiations by proclaiming Nagorno-Karabakh an independent and
sovereign republic.