TURKEY SHOULD BE DRIVEN OUT OF MINSK GROUP, VICE SPEAKER OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 6, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. "Armenia and the Diaspora should
unite their efforts in order to drive Turkey out of the Minsk
Group because it is due to the presence of this country that no
peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem has been found so far,"
Vahan Hovhannisian, member of the ARF Bureau, vice speaker of the
RA National Assembly, expressed this opinion during a talk with
reporters on November 6. According to him, only neutral countries
should be included in the Minsk Group whose mission is to settle the
Karabakh problem, whereas Turkey has an obviously anti-Armenian and
pro-Azerbaijani position.

V. Hovhannisian said that a formulation has been recently proposed,
according to which a compromise by the Azerbaijani side is considered
as abstaining from military operations by Azerbaijan. However, the
Armenian side cannot agree to this as keeping the peace should be
viewed as a bilateral compromise.

"We appreciate the efforts of the Armenian president and our
diplomats during negotiations around the Artsakh problem. However,
regardless of our will, our positions are weakened by the absence of
Artsakh at negotiations," V. Hovhannisian underlined. In his words,
it is necessary to think about changing the format of negotiations,
especially as Azerbaijan does show any moods of compromise. "If Baku
refuses to speak with Stepanakert, in this case Yerevan has nothing
to speak about with Baku and it should speak with Ankara because it is
obvious that Azerbaijan’s growing agressiveness is incited by Ankara,"
the vice speaker of the Armenian parliament said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress