ARMENIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY APPEALS TO MG OSCE CO-CHAIRS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.07.2009 01:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A number of organizations representing the Armenian
American community of the Western United States have appealed to the
Presidents of France, Russia and the United States–which co-chair the
OSCE Minsk Group mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict-to respect
Karabakh’s right to self-determination. In three separate letters to
President Barack Obama, French Ambassador to the US Pierre Vimont and
Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak, the organizations called
for an immediate correction to the flawed peace plan sought by the
Minsk Group and warned that any agreement reached without Karabakh’s
participation and which ignores its security, independence, is doomed
to failure, Asbarez.com reports.

Below is the text of the letter.

"While we, as the Armenian organizations representing the Armenian
community of the Western USA are encouraged by all international
efforts made in good faith to bring about a peaceful resolution to
the hostilities, unresolved status and territorial issues relating to
Azerbaijan and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR), we are deeply
concerned about the recent initiative by the co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group that excludes the democratically elected leadership of
NKR from the peace process and deliberately ignores the will of the
people of Nagorno Karabakh that was lawfully expressed through the
referenda of 1991 and 2006. Such flawed attempts – as manifested by
the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – at resolving the Karabakh
conflict will not achieve any positive results and are doomed to fail.

Considering the above, we the undersigned firmly believe that a
durable and sustained peace in the region can only be achieved if:

a) The right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self determination
is upheld and respected by Azerbaijan and the international community.

b) The Nagorno Karabakh Republic maintains a contiguous border with
the Republic of Armenia as it currently enjoys.

c) The Armenian territories of Gedashen and Shahumian in the north
of Karabakh are returned to the NKR by Azerbaijan.

d) A treaty is signed between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh affirming
the end of all hostilities and the establishment of full diplomatic
and good neighborly relations.

e) That only upon the conclusion of the above the security zone
surrounding the NKR be considered for complete demilitarization:

We respectfully request that our foregoing concerns and stated
positions be given due consideration and approval.

Sincerely, Armenian Apostolic Church of America – Western Prelacy
Armenian Catholic Eparchy, United States Armenian Democratic Liberal
Party Armenian Evangelical Union of North America Armenian National
Committee of America – western Region Armenian Revolutionary Federation
– Western Region Armenian Social Democratic Hunchakian Party

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress