POLITICIAN: ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER BLOCKADE LIFTING CAN SPUR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007
YEREVAN, October 2. /ARKA/. Armenian-Turkish border blockade lifting
would spur Karabakh conflict settlement, Armenian Christian-Democratic
Party leader Khosrov Harutyunyan said.
"Armenia should view Armenian-Turkish border opening as top-priority
objective, since it will reduce Karabakh problem’s geopolitical
significance", he said.
He said Armenia has a real chance to solve this problem by itself.
Harutyunyan said Turkey is OSCE Minsk Group member, but takes steps
against another member – Armenia. He wonders why Armenian diplomats
refrain from expressing their protest in international organizations.
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988, when Armenians-populated Nagorno
Karabakh declared secession from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, just a few days before Soviet Union collapse,
a referendum was conducted in Nagorno Karabakh with international
observers’ presence. 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 also now, and talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan are under
way. The negotiations mediated by OSCE Minsk Group are being held
without Karabakh’s participation.