ARKADY GHUKASIAN. NAGORNO KARABAKH WILL NEVER AGREE TO BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN AND WILL NEVER RENOUNCE ITS INDEPENDENCE
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
07/06/2007

"The authorities of Nagorno Karabakh assume the same attitude that
the negotiations are to be conducted in three-sided format with full
value participation of the representatives of Nagorno Karabakh. It’s
meaningless anticipating something supernatural from the meeting of
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St Petersburg", announced
the President of Nagorno Karabakh Arkadi Ghukasian after the meeting
with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Kingdom of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos.

"The general problem of the conflict is the status of Nagorno
Karabakh, and if this problem is not solved yet, there is no question
of optimism. If there is no agreement on the status of NKR, it’s
meaningless to discuss the other issues. There is another version:
not to solve any problem, it’s also a way of solving the problems. I
understand that we cannot demand 100 per cent in the negotiation
process. But I want to say again that the most important thing for
us is the status of Nagorno Karabakh", mentioned Arkadi Ghukasian.

Anyway, according to Arkadi Ghukasian the present format of the
negotiations is not logical: "We speak about the destiny of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh, and it’s incomprehensible why Nagorno Karabakh
does not directly participate in the negotiation process".

At the same time, whoever conducts the negotiation process, if it is
in the interests of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, it will be adopted.

"Nagorno Karabakh will never agree to be part of Azerbaijan and will
never renounce its independence.

The rest is the issues of agenda and we are ready to discuss
them. Nagorno Karabakh will have the last word on this issue, and
our people will never agree with any decision that contradicts the
interests of Nagorno Karabakh", announced Arkadi Ghukasian.

What about the fact that Nagorno Karabakh was left behind the
negotiation process Arkadi Ghukasian thought that all of them were
guilty in it. "We understand that the present format of negotiations
will not contribute to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict",
said the President of Nagorno Karabakh.

To the question of "Azg" daily "How much are the authorities of
Nagorno Karabakh aware of the discussed principles and do they
agree with them?" Arkadi Khukasian answered that there were no basic
contradictions between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh on the settlement
of the conflict. "Nagorno Karabakh has its own attitude, which must
be taken into account by the authorities of Armenia. It’s not always
that we can persist in our opinion", he said.