ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 29 2007

ARMENIA TO SUPPORT NKR TO PARTICIPATE IN NEGOTIATIONS ON KARABAKH
CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
said that he is ready to support the future president of the NKR in
negotiations on Karabakh conflict settlement.

`I am sure that the future president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
will be able in a short period to get acquainted with the situation
in the negotiation process and if necessary participate in the
discussions,’ he said during the press-conference in Yerevan.

The presidential elections of the NKR will be held on July 19. At
present the CEC of the NKR recorded five presidential candidates –
Bako Sahakyan (Head of the NKR National Security Service), Masis
Mailyan (NKR Deputy Foreign Minister), Armen Abgaryan (NKR National
Assembly MP), Vanya Avanesyan (Lecturer in Artsakh State University)
and Hrant Melkumyan (candidate of the NKR Communist Party).

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988, when Nagorno-Karabakh populated
by Armenians declared secession from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, just a few days before the collapse of the
Soviet Union, a referendum was conducted in Nagorno-Karabakh with the
presence of international observers. At this referendum, 99.89% of
population voted for independence.

Responding to that, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale war against
Nagorno-Karabakh. The military offensives were stopped after a
cease-fire agreement was signed in May 12, 1994. The agreement is
observed now as well, and talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan are
under way.

Starting from 1992 negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the
conflict have being held within the OSCE Minsk Group, the Co-Chairs
of which are the USA, Russia and France. L.M. -0–