SEYRAN OHANYAN: NAGORNO KARABAKH CANNOT BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.01.2010 17:28 GMT+04:00

Armenian leadership will make every effort in achieving progress
in the Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement in 2010, " RA Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan told students and faculty of Yerevan State
University today.

According to the minister, NKR cannot be part of Azerbaijan. "In
this context, we raise three questions: the right of NKR people to
self-determination should be respected, Nagorno Karabakh should have
a land connection with Armenia and its security must be ensured by
international guarantees," defense minister stressed.

Karabakh-Azerbaijani conflict started in 1988. In response to peaceful
demands of the Armenians of Karabakh, constituted 80 per cent of the
population of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (Nagorny Karabakh),
Azerbaijan had unleashed aggression against the peaceful population. As
a result of the national-liberation war of 1991-1994 Nagorno Karabakh
Republic was proclaimed. NKR Defense Army has also established a
security zone around Nagorno Karabakh, including the 7 regions. On
May 11, 1994, agreement was reached on the cease-fire (Bishkek
Protocol). Currently, France, the United States and Russia, OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs are involved in the settlement of the conflict.