ALEXANDER MANASIAN: ARMENIAN SIDE NEVER OCCUPIED ANY TERRITORY BEYOND NKR BOUNDARIES TO RETURN THEM NOW

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 15, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "The Armenian side has never
overstepped the boundaries of Nagorno Karabakh to create a security
zone around it," Alexander Manasian, the Head of YSU Theoretical
Philosophy and Logic Chair, Chairman of the Academy of Political
Studies NGO, interpreted some Madrid Principles at a July 15 press
conference. Moreover, he mentioned that Nagorno Karabakh’s northern
and central parts were occupied by Azerbaijan, while by the 1921
decision of Russian Communist (Bolshevik) Party’s Caucasian Bureau
these territories also make part of the Nagorno Karabakh region. "In
1923 Baku violating that arbitrary decision made by a non-competent
body as it is, created the region on only part of Nagorno Karabakh,"
A. Manasian explained.

Discussing the positive and negative sides of Madrid Principles, the
speaker tried to disperse the existing apprehensions: according to him,
these principles have no binding force, but are only a package, on
the basis of which further negotiations can be continued. According to
him, if any of the sides extremely interpretes one of the principles,
the whole package can be rejected. In his opinion, the most exact one
among the principles is that it is mentioned for the first time: in the
future Nagorno Karabakh’s final legal status will be decided through
a referendum, which will have legally binding consequences. Though
among Madrid Principles some attach importance to the principle of
determining NKR’s final legal status, A. Manasian attaches importance
to the territorial principle. In his words, the greatest achievement
is that the problem of Azerbaijani Republic territorial integrity
is not mentioned with a direct text among Madrid Principles. "The
NKR people has been a self-determination subject long ago. The very
Baku recognized its self-determination right by the 1920 December
1 declaration."

According to A. Manasian’s characterization, we need to be anxious
until the Nagorno Karabakh problem is settled, and, according to him,
we still have a long way to pass.