ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY WELCOMES KARABAKH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

EurasiaNet, NY
Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from BBC Monitoring
July 24 2007

The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement today in connection
with the presidential election held in Nagornyy Karabakh republic
[NKR] on 19 July.

"Holding elections is one of the pledges to ensure democracy and the
rule of the law in Nagornyy Karabakh. The legally-elected government
successfully ensures security and stability in this region even
in the absence of a final settlement. It is clearly mentioned in
the documents of the OSCE and in other international documents that
Nagornyy Karabakh should be a party to the settlement talks, and the
elected authorities should represent the people of Nagornyy Karabakh,"
the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s statement reads.

"Ignoring this election is unfair and is against modern political
values," the statement says.

"In contrast to other conflicts, the population of Nagornyy Karabakh
has always had to ensure its security without the help of the
international community. They achieved similar success in ensuring
democracy and domestic stability," the statement further reads.