OVER 61% OF POLL READERS IN ARMENIA NOT SURE THE MADRID PRINCIPLES WILL BE ABLE TO END THE KARABAKH STALEMATE

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 31, 2009 Monday
Russia

The Armenian armed forces are the most fully realized structure in the
republic, and that provides additional assuredness for its political
leadership and enables them to have a good position at the talks on
karabakhj settlement, said Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan at a
work meeting at the defense ministry.

According to an online poll done by the Research center for political
developments, 61.3% of the participants spoke against the Madrid
principles of the Karabakh settlement, calling them unacceptable for
Armenia and Karabakh. 24.3% think the Madrid principles are acceptable,
the remaining participants could not say either way.

The participants are bothered in part by the priniples’ vague
language. Most of them are concerned with the issues of peacekeeping
forces, and the security of the border populations in Armenia.

The U.S. and Russia have plans to replace their representatives in the
OSCE Minsk group to settle the Karabakh conflict in autumn. Commenting
on the appointment of the new representatives, member of the National
Assembly Stepan Safaryan noted the Karabakh settlement was in a state
of stagnation, and the publication of the Madrid principles was the
first attempt to overcome it.