ARF BUREAU REPRESENTATIVE SAYS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT UNREALISTIC BY END OF YEAR
Yerkir.am
13 Nov 08
ARF has submitted to the Armenian president its views and observations
over the Karabakh settlement talks and is waiting for the subsequent
steps by the president, Hrant Margarian, the representative of the
ARF Bureau, has told in an interview with the Radio Liberty.
He said that ARF was concerned a year ago about the provision,
according to which, the Armenian forces were to withdraw from
five districts before the Karabakh status can be determined, and
peacekeepers would be deployed in Kelbajar and Lachin.
Margarian conveyed hope that the Madrid principles were mentioned
in the November 2 Moscow declaration "as the basis for talks but not
as an adoption of those principles entirely." He added that Armenia
should do whatever it can to eliminate those shortcomings.
When asked would the party leave the ruling coalition if those
shortcomings are not eliminated, Margarian said that ARF’s
participation in the coalition is not an end in itself. "Our
participation is explained with the fact that we can voice our views,
and I hope, that we could also have some influence."
Margarian dismissed the opposition’s claims that the Karabakh conflict
would be settled by the end of the year and that Serzh Sargsian is
pressured to make concessions.