IT’S WRONG WHEN OFFICIALS SAY TO RETURN TERRITORIES

Lragir.am
25-06-2007 15:00:20

For the mediators of the talks on Karabakh, the resolution of the
conflict is not an urgent issue, therefore they will not be pressuring
on the sides, stated Kiro Manoyan who is in charge of political
affairs and Hay Dat of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau, on June 25
at the Pastark Club. He said considering the elections in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, America and Russia in 2008, hardly any progress can be
anticipated at least until 2009.

Kiro Manoyan says Armenia needs to activate diplomatic activities.

"Propagandist diplomacy, state diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy,
because the approaches we have lost regarding propaganda, with
these approaches the essence of the problem must be presented to the
international community."

Kiro Manoyan thinks resettlement of the liberated territories
is primary. It is interesting, however, the resettlement of which
territories the ARF representative means, all the territories or maybe
some territories cannot be resettled because they will be returned
to Azerbaijan. "There is no territory that should not be settled, but
logically we must start with what is relatively easier. It is important
to start. It is important to instill in people that the territories
which are being settled will not be returned," Kiro Manoyan says.

He says there were failures in resettlement, and the people who
left these territories are not to blame but the people who are
responsible. Kiro Manoyan hinted at the NKR president Arkady Ghukasyan
as well. He had stated a few weeks ago that the NKR government cannot
settle these territories without side assistance because it is highly
expensive. Kiro Manoyan says if there is a policy of settlement, it is
always possible to raise funds. Kiro Manoyan, in charge of political
affairs and Hay Dat, says it is negative that different Armenian
officials are considering returning one territory or another. Namely,
Kiro Manoyan criticized Serge Sargsyan who had stated that Aghdam is
not an Armenian territory. According to Manoyan, it might have been
tactics, but it is wrong because it may become a strategy and we may
suddenly start believing what we said.

"No such statements should be made, and if I am not mistaken, the prime
minister has stated recently that he did not say so. It is commendable.

Therefore, I think we must mind our business instead of trying to
please someone," Kiro Manoyan says. He says the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
is against returning territories. "I am saying that we are against
returning territories. We are against returning any territory. And we
must consider the territories in terms of security," says Kiro Manoyan.