ACCORDING TO SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN, NKR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ESSENTIALLY DIFFER FROM ARMENIAN ONES IN POSITIVE SENSE

Noyan Tapan
Jul 24, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Fair and democratic elections were held
in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh on July 19, which, in difference
to the previous ones, were alternative elections. This statement was
made by Shavarsh Kocharian, the Chairman of the Board of the National
Democratic Party, who took part in the presidential elections of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh as an observer, in his interview with
a Noyan Tapan correspondent.

According to him, those elections essentially differ from the ones
held in Armenia in a positive sense, as there was no tension or
mutual distrust.

"Irrespective of the existence of an external danger, the people
realized the necessity to go forward towards democracy," Shavarsh
Kocharian mentioned.

He believes that the process of democratization in Karabakh has become
evident in the past seven years, in particular. Shavarsh Kocharian
is of the opinion that the preconditions for the success of the
presidential elections were created still during the elections of
the local authorities, when the opposition achieved great success and
the representative of the opposition was elected Major of Stepanakert.

The Head of the National Democratic Party regarded the statements made
by international institutions concerning non-recognition of Karabakh
as illogical. According to Shavarsh Kocharian, if the inhabitants of
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh followed their persuasions and did
not have Constitution, did not hold elections, a referendum, then "the
country would turn into a country of field commanders like Chechnya."