SEYRAN OHANIAN: AZERBAIJAN OBSTINATELY DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT THAT KARABAKH PROBLEM HAS ONLY ONE WAY OF SOLUTION – POLITICAL DIALOG

Noyan Tapan

Jan 27, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. In contrast to political speculation
and various domestic and external pressures, the consistent efforts
of the political leadership of the Republic of Armenia confirm the
correctness of the negotiation process within the framework of the
OSCE Minsk Group and the Tripartite Agreement that Russia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan signed on November 2, 2008. The Armenian defence minister
Seyran Ohanian stated this at the January 27 ceremony dedicated to
the 17th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian army.

Nevertheless, in his words, "the enemy continues making threats to
achieve a considerbale military advantage over the Armenian army by
means of petrodollars and to solve the Artsakh problem in a military
way, and these threats sometimes turn into armed incidents that
have received a fitting rebuff of the Armenian side". The minister
mentioned the Azerbaijani troops’ attack on the defence positions
in the village of Leonarkh in Martakert region on March 3, 2008, the
strained situation near the village of Chinar in June when Azerbaijan
shelled both military positions and civilians, and the subversive
actions in Hadrut region on November 16. According to the minister,
all these acions had a shameful outcome for the Azerbaijani side.

He said that Azerbaijan obstinately does not want to admit that the
Karabakh problem has only one way of solution – political dialog.

S. Ohanian said that last year special attention was paid to
solution of social and housing problems of servicemen, perished
and disabled freedom fighters and their families: in 2008, 734
modern apartments were provided to servicemen in various regions of
the country, compensation of 3 billion drams for the purchase of
apartments was allocated to families of perished military as well
as disabled servicemen of 1st and 2nd group, 10 detached houses
were built. "Despite the global economic crisis, the leaders of the
country say that the socially oriented programs on the army will be
of continuous nature," the minister declared.