ARMENIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST ARA PAPYAN: "DEFINITION OF BORDERS IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW WILL GIVE US NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT"
Today.Az
Azerbaijan
July 29 2008
Definition of Armenian borders should be based on the international,
but not the Soviet law, considers head of the Center of Scientific
and Public Researches Modus Vivendi, former Armenian ambassador to
Canada Ara Papyan.
"By defining borders in line with international, not the Soviet law,
we will be able to settle very complicated issues, facing the country,
especially, those connected with national security and blockade. It
will give us new opportunities to settle the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict", said Papyan.
He noted that any intergovernmental problem should be settled on
the basis of international law and "it is strange that Azerbaijan,
calling on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh problem in the framework
of international law, does not observe it".
"Azerbaijani powers consider the Soviet period in Azerbaijan to
be occupational and criminal and at the same time they base on the
resolution of Bolshevik powers, taking into account administrative
borders", noted former ambassador of Armenia to Canada.
Papyan considers it to be incorrect, as Soviet Azerbaijan was not a
subject of international law and, consequently, the resolution of
Nagorno Karabakh issue should return to the pre-Soviet period and
base on the resolutions of international law of that period.
He said the point if the Sevres treaty of August 10 and 1920 and the
resolution, adopted at the Paris conference on February 24 of 1920.
In line with the first one, Soltan Turkey was obliged to recognize
Armenia as "a free and independent state". By the arbitrary resolution
of President Woodrow Wilson, Armenia included almost whole Erzrum
vilayet, two thirds of Van and Bitlis, greater part of Trapezund
vilayets. Trapezund port also went to Armenia.
Thus, Armenia had access to the Black Sea. The territories, returned
to Armenia made 100,000 square kilometers. The united Armenia would
cover a territory of 160,000 square kilometers instead of the present
day 29,000 square kilometers.
The second document fixed the ethnic principle in definition of the
borders of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan on the basis of data of
October-November of 1920.
"In line with the resolution, territories, settled by ethnic Armenians,
were to be transferred to Armenia, by Georgians and Tatars to Georgia
and Azerbaijan. Considering the said principle, Nagorno Karabakh is
the Armenian territory de-jure", said Papyan.