KARABAKH: CHANGE OF STATE DEPARTMENT’S REPORT BECOMES HABIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.04.2007 14:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The point on Armenia of the US State Department’s
2006 report of Human Rights, which touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh,
has been restored in its original reduction, the PanARMENIAN.Net
journalist was told in the U.S. Embassy of Armenia. Currently the
report says, "occupied by Armenia territories of Azerbaijan and
Nagorno Karabakh".

Last week by demand of the Armenian side "occupied Nagorno Karabakh"
formulation was removed from the text of the report. However it was
restored on April 24.

In the interview to AzerTaj OSCE MG American Co-Chair, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza
stated, "The statement in its original variant of the report was
wrong. If we take into account the current stage of talks over the
Nagorno Karabakh, it was our mistake. Let us consider one more time:
the amendment says that the Armenian forces have occupied territories,
but Armenian officials state that they have not occupied Nagorno
Karabakh. As you see, we just indicated the statement of the Armenian
side. Currently we are on the stage of peace process over the Nagorno
Karabakh, when the sides negotiate over its final status. This status
will be determined through peaceful ways via the OSCE Minsk Group,
basing on such international principles as resolutions of the UN
Security Council and OSCE decisions.

That’s why if we mistakably stated that Armenia has occupied Nagorno
Karabakh, like in the original variant, that statement as if will
predetermine results of negotiations concerning the status. We cannot
determine results, they must emerge in the process of talks. That’s
why I repeat we’ve committed a mistake. Now we corrected our
mistake. I will also notice that we have not fallen under anybody’s
influence. There are some people who say that we have done it under
the pressure of some Diasporan groups. That’s not right."