ISSUE OF NKR STATUS CLOSED, SAYS EXPERT RICHARD KIRAKOSIAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The current military and political
situation in the South Caucasus region is dangerous both for
Armenia and the republic of Nagorno Karabakh. This viewpoint was
expressed by individual expert Richard Kirakosian at the June
13 press conference. In his words, that situation will change in
connection with the Georgia’s membership of NATO, as well as with
the 1bn military budget of Azerbaijan. The latter, in particular, in
R. Kirakosian’s words, is a great threat to Armenian security. But
the expert believes that "if Azerbaijan wants to get Karabakh back
through military action, then it is dreaming" as Azerbaijan is not
so powerfully armed as it claims.

Cory Welt, Analyst of the US Center for Stratagic and International
Studies, mentioned that experts point out the necessity of
compromises when speaking about such kinds of conflict. In Cory
Welt’s words, in the case of the Karabakh conflict there are no
signs of compromise. However, Cory Welt believes that a variant of
the problem’s solution is the return of the liberated territories
and only then can the status of Karabagh be settled.

At the same time, the American analyst mentioned that he fully
understands the fact that those territories are a security zone
for Karabakh.

Opposing Cory Welt’s allegation, R. Kirakosian declared that the issue
of Nagorno Karabakh’s status is closed. "Karabakh is ours," he said.