ROBERT KOCHARYAN: KOSOVO IS, CERTAINLY, A PRECEDENT

armradio.am
29.02.2008 17:37

"Having the Nagorno Karabakh issue, the precedent of Kosovo’s
independence is very important for us," RA President Robert Kocharyan
said during today’s meeting with students of the Yerevan State
University. According to him, the Kosovo issue is the question of
greatest concern for the international community, and this independence
is inevitable. "I do not imagine how a nation that has lived on its
historic land and acquired its independence would refuse from this de
facto independence via negotiations and agree to another status. I’m
sure it’s an inevitable fact. The issue must be considered in a
different context: is the de jure recognition of independence by
other states correct at this point or not? Is it possible to reach
the same objective of recognition over time, softening the reaction
of the Serbian side? Maybe, it’s possible to reach the final target
through more flexible steps, but I don’t doubt that independence will
be the final result," Robert Kocharyan noted.

According to President Kocharyan, Kosovo is, certainly, a
precedent. The difference is that the process in Nagorno Karabakh
had started earlier, and NKR proclaimed its independence still in
1991. "Kosovo has just proclaimed its independence, and we have no less
right to have independent Karabakh than Kosovo. It’s not because of
Kosovo that we must think about the independence of Karabakh. For us it
is a recognized fact and we must aspire for other states to recognize
it, as well," Robert Kocharyan said. According to his observation,
Kosovo found itself in the spotlight of great political interests in
the Balkans and Europe. Several factors worked in its favor and the
process started. "We are resolute on our path," the President assured.