AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
Dec 17 2009

Sarkisian claims self-styled republic should join peace talks

17-12-2009 07:51:48

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has claimed that a negotiated
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh is possible only if the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh
republic becomes directly involved in the ongoing peace talks.
The astonishing statement was made as Sarkisian hosted a `parliament’
delegation of the separatist regime attending a meeting of the
inter-parliamentary cooperation commission in Yerevan.
The Armenian president believes that a peaceful Garabagh settlement is
possible but only if the self-proclaimed republic is allowed `to be
involved in discussing issues pertaining to its fate and say its
piece.’
Sarkisian noted that after meetings on conflict settlement with
Azerbaijan, he comprehensively informs the so-called `president of
Upper Garabagh’ about the essence of the discussions and issues on the
agenda. He alleged further: `It should be clear to everyone that the
people of Artsakh [meaning Garabagh] have gained their independence by
shedding blood.’
Upper Garabagh is an historical Azerbaijani territory. Armenians were
settled there in the early 19th century. Azerbaijan and Armenia have
been locked in conflict over the mountainous region for nearly two
decades. OSCE-brokered peace talks kicked off after a lengthy war that
ended with the signing of a shaky cease-fire in 1994. Armenia
continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani
districts in defiance of international law. Baku says the occupied
districts must be freed and Azerbaijani refugees displaced during the
armed conflict in the early 1990s returned home, and only after that
could the status of Upper Garabagh be determined within the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.*