ARMENIAN LEADER PUTS HIS OWN SPIN ON GARABAGH PAPER

AzerNews Weekly
Nov 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has said Yerevan deems as pivotal
Azerbaijan`s signing on November 2 of the declaration on a political
settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict allegedly
recognizing that the norms of international law are not limited to
territorial integrity.

In an interview with Germany`s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
newspaper, Sarkisian claimed that the core of the problem
was the status of Upper Garabagh, referring to an Azeri region
under Armenian occupation. He reiterated Yerevan`s claim, saying
Azerbaijan is to recognize the right of Garabagh Armenians to
self-determination. According to Sarkisian, it will be possible to
solve other issues regarding the conflict resolution afterwards.

The declaration, signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian Presidents
Ilham Aliyev, Serzh Sarkisian and Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow following
the Russia-brokered meeting, envisions further OSCE-mediated dialog
between the sides. It urges joint effort in bolstering stability in
the South Caucasus through a political settlement of the conflict
based on the principles of international law and earlier documents.

Sarkisian maintained that Armenia`s goal was not to keep under
control the districts surrounding Upper Garabagh, indicating that
these territories were allegedly important for the protection of the
separatist regime operating there.

Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s
internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s, in defiance
of international law.

The Armenian leader said his country supported launching talks
as soon as possible on a document regarding basic principles of
a conflict settlement submitted by the mediating OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs. "After that, we have to discuss a peace accord. We have
a long road ahead of us."

In reply to a question on the possible granting of the autonomy status
to Upper Garabagh within Azerbaijan, Sarkisian said the ability of
the region`s population to develop in safe conditions was in question.

"History has shown that this is not possible within Azerbaijan,"
he alleged. "We have never believed that Upper Garabagh could stay
part of Azerbaijan."

As for the warm-up in relations between Armenia and Turkey, the two
neighboring countries that have long been facing hostility, Sarkisian
said improvements could be achieved in bilateral ties in a year`s
time. He said Turkey`s recognizing the alleged Armenian genocide was
not a primary pre-condition for restoring diplomatic ties between
the two countries.

"It is not important now which side the initiative to improve
ties comes from. The main thing is for these ties to be forged,"
Sarkisian said.

Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two
countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to
Armenia`s policy of occupation against Azerbaijan and the "genocide"
claims.

The Azerbaijani government was quick to respond to Sarkisian`s
statement. The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Khazar Ibrahim, said
there was uncertainty in his utterances. He reminded that the
Moscow declaration, co-signed by the Armenian leader, envisions a
settlement of the Garabagh conflict based on the principles and norms
of international law.

"In all documents adopted in the world community so far,
territorial integrity is held above everything, and the issue of the
self-determination of nations finds its solution within this very
principle," Ibrahim said.