KARABAKH SETTLEMENT ENTERS A NEW STAGE

armradio.am
04.11.2008 16:42

The Declaration on Nagorno Karabakh signed between the Presidents
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia should be considered within the
context of regional events. Head of the "Akunq" research center Ruben
Hakobyan told a press conference today that the Georgian-Ossetian
conflict created a new situation in the region, and the development
of the Nagorno Karabakh issue is linked to it. "The signing of the
declaration has created a new stage in the Karabakh settlement, but
it does not rule out the application of force: history has shown many
of such examples."

Getting involved in the process, Russia manages to keep the region
under its control," he said. According to Ruben Hakobyan, Russia
is somehow trying to please Azerbaijan to have the latter’s serious
economic and political potential pass to its side. According to him,
Nagorno Karabakh is also included in "the basket of this flattery."

Ruben Hakobyan noted that the declaration includes two completely
contradicting principles: territorial integrity and the right of
peoples to self-determination. Involving Nagorno Karabakh as party
to the negotiations is compulsory.

"Russia won in the conflict with Georgia and reconfirmed its dominant
position in the region and reinforced it with the signing of the
declaration of November 2. Russia has its concrete interests in the
region, and its activity shows that it’s ready to defend those at any
cost. The latest developments show that Russia’s role in the region
is gradually reinforcing," Ruben Hakobyan said, adding that Russia
is trying to include the region in its security zone.