YEREVAN REJECTS INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM OF KARABAKH VOTE
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 23 2007

Armenia on Monday hit back at international criticism of last week’s
presidential election in Nagorno-Karabakh and hailed the vote as proof
of the Karabakh Armenians’ "commitment to democracy and rule of law."

"Various OSCE and other international documents clearly indicate that
not only should Nagorno-Karabakh be a party to settlement negotiations,
but that their elected authorities should represent them," the Armenian
Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"To dismiss these or any elections is disingenuous and simply
contrary to modern political values," the statement said. "Further,
rejection cannot be understood given the fact that in other areas of
the world, in places where final political status and settlement are
also absent, such elections are indeed supported, promoted, observed
and encouraged."

Various international organizations and leading Western governments
joined Azerbaijan in rejecting the legitimacy of the July 19 that
formalized the handover of power from the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic’s President Arkady Ghukasian to his preferred successor
backed by the disputed region’s main political groups. They said
these and other Karabakh elections will not be deemed legitimate
until a resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and return
of Karabakh’s former Azerbaijani minority.

The United States and the European Union made it clear at the same time
that they believe the latest vote will not have an adverse impact on
the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks mediated by the OSCE
Minsk Group. The group’s American, French and Russian co-chairs
routinely travel to Stepanakert and meet the NKR leadership during
their visits to the conflict zone.

"This is just one expression of the commitment the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh have made to democracy and rule of law," the Armenian
Foreign Ministry said of the election.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress