THERE IS A DANGER THAT NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM MAY BE SOLVED "AT ODD
MOMENTS", FORMER ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Possible war between U.S. and Iran
does not proceed from Armenia’s interests and will complicate the
situation in Armenia very much. Former RA Foreign Minister Alexander
Arzumanian declared this at the January 30 press conference. As he
affirmed, being Iran’s neighbor and friend and being on good terms
with U.S., Armenia must be able to conduct very skilful diplomacy in
that case.

A.Arzumanian said that the possibility of war against Iran depends on
the support the U.S. administration expects to receive both from the
Congress and the country’s public. In his words, no such support
exists inside the countey today and the growing moods of U.S. public
against Iraqi war reduce the possibility of starting a war against
Iran for even more. Meanwhile, pointing to the events taking place in
the region and in Persian Bay countries, the speaker said that
"nothing can be excluded."

Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh problem, A.Arzumanian said that it
is becoming a "small change" in interrelations between different
countries. As Nagorno Karabakh does not take part in negotiations on
its fate and is only perceived as a territory occupied by Armenia,
there is a danger that in circumstance of some geopolitical
developments the Nagorno Karabakh problem can be solved "at odd
moments," in the context of settlement of another problems. "This is
the greatest danger threatening us, as solutions obtained at odd
moments cannot be favorable either for Nagorno Karabakh or for
Armenia," A.Arzumanian declared.

Arman Melikian, former NKR Foreign Minister, Adviser to NKR President,
gave assurance that no war will break out between Iran and U.S. In his
words, in consideration of involvement of American armed forces in
Iraq and the situation in Afghanistan, a new armed conflict is
dangerous for U.S. In A.Melikian’s words, the anti-Iranian orientation
of U.S. indeed raises Iran’s role among Middle and Near East Islamic
states.