ACCORDING TO GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN THE PRECEDENT OF SOUTH OSSETIA IS GRIEVOUS, BUT IT MAY FURTHER SETTELING THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
Arman Gasparyan

"Noravank" Foundation
04 September 2008

Before Georgian-Russian conflict has begun Russia had already made
a decision to raise the economic relations with South Ossetia
and Abkhazia to the state level. In other words, these economic
relations had already acquired legal character making a ground for
the sovereignty of the two countries to be recognized. The director of
"Noravank" Foundation, political scientist Gagik Harutyunyan mentioned
in his conversation with us that after the early August events the
probability of recognition of the non-recognized republics is quite
high. Such optimism has come to be proved by the announcement made
by the President D. Medvedev and the Foreign Minister S. Lavrov,
as well as the 6 paragraphs of the Medvedev-Sarkozi program.

"It would be naïve to think that the process of recognition will be
of the same character as in case with Kosovo. The western community
doesn’t recognize independence of the two republics, however,
the case with Northern Cyprus (only Turkey has recognized this
republic) will not be reiterated either as in this case Russia will
have associates, although not that strong. It’s possible that the
process of recognition will not have that mass character as in case
of Kosovo, however, Russia will not at least be all alone. After the
latest South-Ossetian and Abkhazian developments we, as a matter of
fact, have a new South Ossetia, a New Abkhazia and a new Russia which
will probably for the first time after the collapse of the Soviet
Union display political will and determination directed to standing
for their national interests".

The political scientist is convinced that raising the status of any
not recognized republic by the international community will be in
favor of Karabakh. However, in case of Karabakh the matter is quite
different, although such precedents legally further the process of
international recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both in
case of Kosovo and the one of South Ossetia and Abkhazia the legal
grounding of recognition became the will, determination and military
support of power states. The problem of Kosovo was solved by NATO and
the US: here, the United State and Europe held the same opinion on the
case. In case of South Ossetia and Abkhazia they have disagreements
which may result Georgia not to be accepted into NATO.

"Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must partly be given political solution
to, but, at the same time, we have to consider it to be settled from
the standpoint of political settlement and working out of certain
political rules. NKR has de facto joined Armenia; it is a de facto
established political and state element. The strategic climate
around it, as well as th e liberated territories are a favorable
version for us and here, one should take his time. Only "status quo"
is necessary, that’s to say it is necessary to somehow consolidate
what we have. This is the very political task. Our armed forces are
today there, and the problem is settled."

"Nevertheless, West seems to give more preference to the principle
of territorial integrity rather than to the rights of nations
and self-determination. Won’t this hinder the process of conflict
settlement?" While answering to this question the political scientist
accentuated that there were different standards, nevertheless, it
was difficult to determine which of them was peculiar and which –
wasn’t. In case of the very South Ossetia the OSCE Secretary General
stressed up that the solution of such problems was not possible to
imagine without the will of nations. In the west people think that
unless the rights of nations and their self-determination have been
realized, the problems don’t have any political perspectives to be
solved. After all, the United States itself declared its independence,
that’s to say, it is the will of the nation, and from this standpoint
the NKR has already been established. The precedent with South Ossetia
is very sad; however it may favor the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

The political scientist mentioned that we have an Armenian community
in South O ssetia, and it is to be rendered humanitarian aid to it. But
to the question, "What do you think about the position assumed by some
political scientists concerning to Armenia’s freezing its relation
with Russia?" G. Harutyunyan answered that it was unaccepted for him.

"Politics is not a family where people divorce, love or hate each
other.

Politics is coincidence of interests. We have coincidence of interests
with Georgia which we can’t but take into consideration. We have a
numerous Armenian community in Georgia. I will also be mistaken to
say that we should be more active in case of such a little state which
has many interests in this region. The announcement of our political
leadership was quite even-tempered and serious. Such complementary
politics is justified…

–Boundary_(ID_A6uhs5HKYjPWPuxPSyEj7 w)–
From: Baghdasarian