AZERBAIJAN UNWILLING TO ACCEPT REALITY AND MISTAKENLY THINKS THE OPPOSITE PROCESS IS POSSIBLE

Yerkir
12.07.2007 17:11

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – "The cause of unsuccessful negotiations is the
fact that Azerbaijan is unwilling to accept the reality and mistakenly
thinks that the opposite process is possible, whereas it is senseless
to turn back the wheel of history.

The people who gained independence, will not refuse from that,"
Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in an interview to SPIEGEL
ONLINE.

He underlined that the Nagorno Karabakh people, who achieved
his independence and defended it during the past 15 years, will
not think if this or that organization is going to recognize that
independence. "We do not want to attach to analogues, but undoubtedly
the Karabakh people have the same right to independence as Albanians
of Kosovo, moreover if they protected their right alone without
interference by the international community. As to the assistance
from Armenia …

Armenian people fought during the war. Do you really think that Albania
has not provided assistance to Albanians of Kosovo? There are a lot
of correlations here and I see Armenia and Karabakh’s future as an
asymmetric confederation. But currently the Karabakh Republic is a
full state, which copes with many tasks better than Azerbaijan. Take
as an example the formation of state institutes," Kocharian said.

He also stressed that the military threat from Azerbaijan exists
always.

"Though I doubt that Azerbaijan’s military budget is bigger of our
state budget. I would warn against judging about the correlation of
forces from both sides only by figures. You must take into account
and the fact that the soldier who defends his homeland has another
motivation, than the one who acts on a foreign territory. We do not
have any intention to launch military operations.

But in case of a prepared aggression we will make decisions, to which
we will be obliged by the military situation of the time and which
will meet our security interests. Our offers on the settlement of the
conflict are connected with recognition of the republic and security
guarantees. They suppose presence of peacekeepers. It must be an
international peacekeeping contingent," the RA President underscored.