RECOGNITION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH WOULD BE UNTIMELY – ARMENIAN PM

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 25, 2007 Tuesday

The recognition of the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh
now would be ill-timed, Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian told
a news conference at the Itar-Tass head office on Tuesday.

"The Armenian leadership has said more than once that the recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence would be untimely and I agree with
this," Sarkisian said.

At the same time the Armenian prime minister said that "negotiations
on that issue are in progress and the talks have not exhausted all
opportunities yet."

In his opinion, "this dispute can be resolved solely through
compromises."

"The way I see it, there is every opportunity in place to resolve
the problem of Nagorno-Karabkh’s independence by peaceful means,"
he said. "The negotiating partners are unable to put forward all
proposals they have, but there will always be people who might upset
this process. Armenia and Azerbaijan are destined to live side by side,
and we would like to have a good relationship with the neighbor."