VARTAN OSKANIAN: "THE AUTHORITIES MUST NOT STOP NKR SETTLEMENT PROCESS
ARISING OF ONLY POLITICAL INTERESTS"

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29, NOYAN TAOAN. "In general, we are not displeased
with the work done by us," RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
estimated in this way the work done by the department headed by him,
during the December 28 "Herankar" (Perspective) program of the "Shant"
TV company. In the Minister’s words, that is "an inner estimate,"
which was formed late this year, as a result of separate discussions
with the Foreing Ministry’s departments. "Of course, one may always
want to see more, but what we have today, in general, I estimate as
positive," V.Oskanian said. At the same time the Minister noticed that
"of course, our society must give the final estimate." The Minister
did not agree with the opinion that the results existing in the NKR
conflict settlement process must be in the pivot of estimation of the
Foreign Ministry’s activity. "If we just centrlize on the NKR issue,
we, factually, will pay a tribute to our opponent, will pay a tribute
to Azerbaijan and Turkey. … Of course, it is desireable to solve the
NKR problem but it must not be considered the only issue on which
solution of all the other issues depends," V.Oskanian said. In his
words, he also shares RA President Robert Kocharian’s opinion
concerning inadmissibility of possible speculations of the NKR issue
in the pre-electoral period. But V.Oskanian finds that there is yet no
reason for such speculations as, in his words, "the document which is
on the negotiations table, we did not present to the society’s court,
as we ourselves yet do not know what the final result of those
negotiations will be." At the same time the Minister expressed an
opinion that if the authorities expect that the opposition or other
political forces must not speculate the NKR issue arising of their
innerpolitical interests, the authorities must undertake the same
obligations and, just arising of the political interests, do not stop
the settlement process or refuse solution of the issue. "So, if a
moment comes that we ourselves are sure that this arises of our
national interests and the Azerbaijani side is ready to solve the
problem, how difficult it is, how hard it is, if it is, in political
sense, even fraught with overfalls, I think that the authorities must
have and display enough political will to take the way of solving the
issue as it is a national problem, this is a universal problem, it
arises of interests of all of us," V.Oskanian stated.