ROBERT KOCHARYAN: ARMENIA MUST EITHER RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NKR OR SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON MUTUAL ASSISTANCE

armradio.am
01.04.2008 12:46

Yesterday RA President Robert Kocharyan visited Artsakh. At the
airport the President and his spouse were welcomed by NKR President
Bako Sahakyan, Speaker of the NKR National Assembly Ashot Gulyan,
Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, members of Government.

Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Bako Sahakyan had a short meeting
at the NKR President’s Office, following which Robert Kocharyan met
with representatives of the legislative and executive authorities of
Nagorno Karabakh.

For exceptional service to Nagorno Karabakh NKR President Bako Sahakyan
awarded Robert Kocharyan with a "Gregory the Illuminator" order.

"Discussions on Nagorno Karabakh must be held in Armenia in the near
future, and I think that a new situation is created. Some things
are changing in the world. There is the Kosovo precedent, there are
the efforts of Azerbaijan to transfer the negotiation process from
the Minsk Group framework to the UN, there are militant statements,
which make Armenia and Karabakh implement certain changes in their
approaches connected with issues of NKR security and the final status
of Nagorno Karabakh," Robert Kocharyan said in Stepanakert, turning
to the negotiation process son the Karabakh conflict settlement.

The President noted that the issue has no solution so far. "There
are still challenges, and we all must undertake the final recognition
of NKR."

Armenia should either recognize the independence of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic or sign an agreement on mutual assistance in the
field of defense, Robert Kocharyan said. According to the President,
such an agreement will prevent the militant statements of Azerbaijan.