AMBASSADOR ARMEN SMBATYAN: THERE IS FAVORABLE CONDITION FOR THE MEMBERS OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITIES TO VISIT NAGORNO KARABAKH

APA
June 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. "I think there is favorable enough
condition to visit Nagorno Karabakh," Armenian ambassador to Russia
Armen Smbatyan said in his interview to Reghum agency, APA reports.

Commenting on the reports that members of communities of Azerbaijan
and Armenia will visit Nagorno Karabakh, Smbatyan said the idea to
repeat the visit appeared soon after the first visit.

"Because we (I hope not only we) felt the importance of such relations,
a small positive bridge uniting the two communities was established
during the visit. The aim of these visits is not to replace the
process of negotiations to some extent," he said.

Smbatyan mentioned that the negotiations were being held by the
presidents within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group and said the
representatives of various classes of the two countries should
continue communicating. Clarifying why the planned visit was kept
"secret" the ambassador said: "It is connected with arranging and
coordinating mechanism of the visit, because a number of political,
ethno-psychological, ethnocultural and social aspects are touched
on. If information about the visit is given beforehand, or formulated
incorrectly, it may affect the interests of the visit participants and
the visit will not take place. There are always forces, who ignore
the interests of the peoples and states, have mercantile intentions
and do not want the process to be realized. Taking this into account
I ask media representatives and "reliable sources" to approach every
statement and information on this issue with responsibility," he said.