FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA REJECTS ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVE’S PROPOSAL TO ORGANIZE PUBLIC DEBATES ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ArmInfo
2009-08-03 15:36:00

ArmInfo. Former foreign minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian rejected
the proposal of David Shahnazaryan, representative of the Armenian
National Congress, to organize public debates on Nagorno-Karabakh. To
recall, Shahnazaryan came out with this proposal at a recent
press-conference.

Replying to this proposal, the former Armenian foreign minister
and present head of Civilitas Foundation, Vartan Oskanian told Radio
Liberty that "he has no problem debating anyone". "I’m happy to debate
any issue, but that debate must serve a purpose", he said. Oskanian
thinks that the opposition’s invitation to debate should be directed
to the administration, to those conducting negotiations today. "Of
course we can sit and talk about history, about the past, about the
last 17 years. Civilitas convenes such discussions. Perhaps in the
coming months it will be possible to convene one on the topic of
Nagorno Karabakh and all those who wish to participate can come and
do so. But right now, there would be no purpose to my debating the
opposition. Their fundamental target should be today’s government",-
he said.

When told that the opposition considers the former president and
the former foreign minister responsible for the peace process,
Oskanian stressed that each authorities are responsible for their
term in office.