IN SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN’S WORDS, NOW THERE ARE PRECONDITIONS FOR SOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT MORE FAVORABLE FOR ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Preconditions for Nagorno
Karabakh settlement more favorable for Armenia have been created
at present. Shavarsh Kocharian, the Chairman of the National
Democratic Party, stated at the June 27 press conference. Among these
preconditions, in particular, he mentioned the process of Kosovo’s
getting independence, Karabakh’s democratization and Azerbaijan’s
going to dictatorship.

The NDP Chairman emphasized that in the negotiations process
Azerbaijan has always distorted the settlement models proposed,
demanding everything and ceding nothing, and this is already obvious
for the mediators, too.

In S. Kocharian’s words, the oil factor contributes to
strengthening of Azerbaijan’s economy and army, which should not be
underestimated. However, on the other hand, Azerbaijan has become
the hostage of Baku-Ceyhan gas pipeline, as destabilization in the
region does not proceed from superpowers’ interests. In S. Kocharian’s
opinion, besides conflict settlement, the OSCE Minsk Group has also the
function of stability preservation, which it implements successfully.

In case of Karabakh’s participation in the negotiations, in speaker’s
words, the issue can be no longer considered as a territorial argument
between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Armenia will be no longer perceived
as an aggressor. And the newly elected NKR President, as he stated,
should try to use the created positive preconditions for making NKR
part of the negotiations.

According to S. Kocharian’s observation, a considerable improvement in
the respect of democratization has been recorded over the past seven
years in NKR. Among them he mentioned the new NKR Constitution, the
electoral processes, civil control over the army, as well as President
Arkady Ghoukassian’s refusing to run for presidency for the third time.