DESPITE KOSOVO FATE KARABAKH TO CONTINUE ITS WAY TO INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION – OSKANIAN

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 6 2007

YEREVAN, August 6. /ARKA/. Despite the fate of Kosovo, Nagorno-Karabakh
will continue its way towards the international recognition of its
independence, said Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian in his
interview to Interfax.

"Karabakh has its peculiar sides and Kosovo – specific ones. Today
Karabakh is clearly moving to its self-determination, despite the
final settlement of other conflicts," said Oskanian when answering
the question on possible influence of Kosovo on the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict.

Oskanian pointed out that each conflict is specific by its nature,
and in this aspect the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not an exception.

He said that each conflict should be considered with the peculiarities
of the problem.

"Let’s not forget, that as compared to Kosovo conflict, when
international forces and NATO put an end to the war in Serbia, and
the UN and EU had been founding state structures for seven years,
for twenty years the NKR has been striving by itself to overcome the
consequences of the imposed aggression and reach success in forming
its statehood," Oskanian said.

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.