KOCHARYAN DISMISSED KARABAKH

A1+
[08:33 pm] 17 January, 2008

"Before Robert Kocharyan became president in 1998, Nagorno-Karabakh
was one of the negotiating parties, but after becoming the President,
Robert Kocharyan decided that Armenia would better present Karabakh. We
have not dismissed Karabakh from the negotiating process", today the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairman Bernard Fassier explained NKR’s dismissal
from the negotiations. He ensured that involvement of the NKR in the
negotiation process was Armenia’s decision.

To the question of "A1+", that if Karabakh extraction from negotiations
is agreed with Robert Kocharyan’s personality, then on 19 February
Kocharyan will not be the president, will the next RA President involve
Karabakh in the negotiation process, Bernard Fassier responded:
"Please, forward that question to the RA authorities, it is up to
them to decide".

Does it mean that Azerbaijan contents to Karabakh’s participation
in the negotiations and the final decision depends on the Armenian
part? To this question Mr Fassier answered: "In regard with Karabakh’s
participation, the situation is rather complicated; many other problems
should be solved for the solution of that problem".

"Judging from Karabakh’s position in regard with the current process
of negotiations, we may say that there is not urgent necessity to
change the present format", said Yuri Merzlakov. The OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairmen mentioned that any decision referring Karabakh
nation’s destiny should be settled with the support of Karabakh
people. Journalists tried to find out from the Co-Chairmen, who had
returned Stepanakert, why they did not present the document which
was negotiated to the NKR authorities. The Co-Chairmen only informed
that in Stepanakert they were aware of the details of negotiation
process. The French Co-Chairman informed that the NKR authorities told
the Co-Chairmen: "The sooner Karabakh is involved in the negotiation
process, the better for them". Mr Fassier underlined once again,
that the Co-Chairmen were not responsible for it.

The Armenian journalists also pointed out that the more often the
Co-Chairmen talked about the peaceful settlement of the conflict,
the more often Ilham Aliev made war-like appeals. In this regard Yuri
Merzlakov ensured, that when meeting Ilham Aliev in Baku, he said: "We
said to the Azerbaijani President that besides political settlement of
the conflict, they have no other alternative. We have announced 2008
decisive year for the settlement of Karabakh conflict". According to
Merzlyakov, Aliev agreed with him.