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SAMVEL BABAYAN WILL NOT RETURN TO KARABAKH
[08:35 pm] 12 October, 2007
Do you intend to return to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic after the
recent elections?
Neither the former nor the acting NKR authorities ban my activity in
the country. I can say one thing for sure. All issues are settled in
Yerevan, therefore I am here.
And what about Karabakh’s political life?
I wouldn’t like to speak of it. I don’t want to dwell on the country’s
interior problems. I am not concerned over their affairs. People
should present their demands to the authorities they have elected. I
don’t want to intervene in their business.
More people lived in Karabakh in 1996-97. Today it is vital to
preserve the population and to populate the liberated
territories. Don’t you see any menace in this context?
I really see a great menace. I have noted it many times. It is the
core issue of my programme. Special attention should be attached to
the librated territories.
How would you assess RA authorities’ stance towards the Karabakh
issue?
Is anybody aware of their stance? The negotiations are confidential,
and nobody knows anything.
But the Co-Chairs occasionally refer to certain details.
Afterwards the authorities refute their statements. The authorities
of the two countries say different things in view of the talks. I
cannot say anything unless I get acquainted with the document. Unlike
the Armenian authorities, we have presented the Karabakh conflict
resolution in written form. So far we have found no feedback – neither
positive, nor negative. We shall support the candidate endorsing our
programme.
During Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s office at least seven people were aware
of the negotiations while today only 2-3 know. Don’t you think the
ignorance of the public, political forces and parliament might be
fatal?
I don’t possess any figures. The document is still under
consideration. As soon as Karabakh is engaged into the negotiations,
the country will say the last word. The country may even turn it down
the way it did in 1997.
Diana Markosian