Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin
December 4, 2007
BAKU’S BELLIGERENT POSITION COULD IMPACT KARABAKH TALKS – …
All international conflicts differ in their essence and each of them
should be resolved individually, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian said.
"Regardless of our will, precedents have a certain influence in
international relations. If they repeat, they become a basis of the
international law in the future. Nevertheless we do not follow
precedents as far as the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is concerned,"
Oskanian told the Kommersant newspaper in an interview published on
Tuesday.
"The Nagorno-Karabakh talks are held within the framework of the
self-determination principle. This is the right of Nagorno-Karabakh
people, and in this case it is impossible to reverse history
regardless of how other conflicts are settled," the minister said.
"If the result of the Kosovo issue is not a precedent, then we also
resent the logic opposite to the precedent. In other words, if the
international community wants Nagorno-Karabakh people to understand
that the Kosovo independence does not by default mean
Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence, it should explain to Azerbaijan that
Nagorno-Karabakh can apply the principle of self-determination. In
other words, each conflict should receive its own settlement given
peculiarities and logic of the talks," Oskanian said.
Commenting on Baku’s statements that a collection of arms that Russia
withdrew from Georgia to its Gyumri base finds itself in Nagorno-
Karabakh, Oskanian said: "Rumors that Russian arms withdrawn from
Georgia find themselves in Nagorno-Karabakh are unjustified. They
have nothing to do with the reality. By making such statements Baku
pursues propaganda goals."
"It is remarkable that a party concerned about the fictional arms
build-up in the region violates provisions of the Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty. It does not hide its belligerent
attitudes and stated many times, including at the highest level, its
intention to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by force.
Unambiguously, this could impact the current talks," Oskanian said.