REACTIONS DIFFER: RUSSIA’S RECOGNITION OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA HAS SPARKED A LOT OF REACTION IN NAGORNYY KARABAKH
by Kristine Khanumyan
Haykakan Zhamanak
Aug 29 2008
Armenia
The NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] foreign ministry has issued
a statement, welcoming "the fact of Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s
independence" and emphasizing that it "fully complies with the
fundamental principles of people’s right to self-determination and
international law, prescribed in the documents of the UN, OSCE and
other international organizations".
…
Vahram Atanesyan, the chairman of the NKR parliament’s foreign
relations committee, told us that hearings will be held in parliament
today [29 August] with the participation of the parliamentary factions
and political forces not represented in parliament. Atanesyan said
that the hearings are connected with Russia’s recognition of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia and, in that context, the steps towards the NKR’s
recognition. What should be decided is, if Karabakh were to appeal
to Russia with a request to recognize the NKR, or if Karabakh were
to approach Armenia with that request, whether diplomatic relations
should be established with South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Official positions of Armenia and Karabakh over the recognition
of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have sparked mixed reaction in the
NKR. Atanesyan, for example, says that Karabakh foreign ministry’s
statement was appropriate and in line with the international
practice. When asked if Armenia should recognize the NKR, Atanesyan
said: "I am not in the position to assess what Armenia’s position
would be. I can only speak about the NKR’s appeal to Armenia. This
is something that can’t be agreed upon in one day. But such a moment
may come".
…
The NKR parliament’s only independent member Gegham Baghdasaryan says
the NKR foreign ministry’s statement was not normal. "The statement
came very late. Initially they made very soft statements, and there
was no clear position."