ROBERT KOCHARYAN: "KOSOVO MAY BECOME A PRECEDENT FOR RECOGNITION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE"

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 29 2008

"Kosovo may become a precedent for recognition of Karabakh’s
independence"

The due announcement was made by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan.

"Recognition of Kosovo’s independence was inevitable. I don’t think
that independence of people, which has long lived independently on
its historical lands, would not be recognized", Kocharyan said at
the meeting with the students of the Yerevan State University.

Another matter is that whether it was necessary to recognize
independence immediately or undertake gradual steps, thus, softening
the reaction of the Serbian side and demonstrate flexibility in
this issue.

"The Kosovo precedent is too important for Armenia. Certainly, this
will have a positive influence for recognition of independence of
"Nagorno Karabakh Republic", but it should be taken into account that
we first declared independence in Nagorno Karabakh in September of
1991 and held referendum in December", Kocharyan noted.

At the same time, the president noted that Kosovo has just started
to fight for its independence and "in this aspect "Nagorno Karabakh
Republic" have as many chances for recognition of its independence
as Kosovo".

However, Kocharyan added that Kosovo’s example differs from Karabakh,
as Kosovo is in the center of Europe and many facts are in favor of
this region.

"But we will be consistent in our fight. Nagorno Karabakh’s
independence is a fact for us and other countries should also recognize
it", the Armenian President noted.

/Novosti-Armenia/

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