SERZH SARGSYAN: WE DO NOT DECLINE ANY ASSISTANCE IN ISSUE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan
Oct 27, 2008
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. "After a long passive period, now the
process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement has entered an active stage,"
RA President Serzh Sargsyan said in his interview to the Public
Television of Armenia. According to him, it is conditioned by at
least two important circumstances, first, the presidential elections
are over both in Armenia and in Azerbaijan and second, the well-known
events in the region once more convinced everybody that there is no
military way of problem settlement. The RA President considers that the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem is possible if Azerbaijan
recognizes Nagorno Karabakh people’s right of self-determination,
if Nagorno Karabakh has a land border with the Republic of Armenia,
and if the international organizations and the leading countries
guarantee Nagorno Karabakh people’s security.
The RA President emphasized that the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
process proceeds within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group, on the basis
of Madrid principles, Armenia has never applied to a country with the
request to carry out a mediatory mission. "We have repeatedly said and
now I reiterate that there are no other mediators, the only mediators
are the Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group, and the confusion they try to
create does not assist us in anything," the RA President said. RA
President considers very natural RF President Dmitry Medvedev’s
invitation to organize a meeting of Presidents of Russia, Armenia,
and Azerbaijan and his activity in this issue: Russia is one of the
Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group.
In response to the question that Turkish President Abdullah Gul
stated that the RA President was first the ask him to assist the
process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement, the RA President said: "You
must have noticed that I have no character to comment upon statements
of other figures, especially as fragments cut off from the context
are published in our press." According to the President, "the only
mediators are the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, and we do not decline
any assistance. Yes, I am sure, Turkey can provide assistance to the
process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement and I think it is providing
assistance now: President Gul’s visit to Yerevan, the continuation
of Armenian-Turkish negotiations are a very good example to solve
complicated problems, and I am sure that if Turkey opens the borders
and establishes diplomatic relations with Armenia, it will be a great
assistance to the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem," the
RA President said.