CONCESSIONS PUTTING PEOPLE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH AT RISK ARE RULED OUT: SARGSYAN

Tert.am
09:58 11.02.10

Today the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is an established state with
its structures, army and, most importantly, with its citizens who
can be in charge of their own fortune, President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan said in his speech in London.

"Today we, as well as the international community, witness Artsakh
[Nagorno-Karabakh] as a contemporary state that is implementing the
ideals of freedom, sovereignty, and democracy; in spite of natural
and manmade difficulties and grave challenges; it is progressing,
strengthening its democratic institutions, government, economy,
and culture, and defending peace.

"In its Freedom in the World Report, a reputable human rights watchdog,
the Freedom House, has ranked the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh
among partially free democratic states, while ranking Azerbaijan as
a non-free state. No further comments are needed here," said Sargsyan
in a press release issued yesterday.

The obvious conclusion, according to him, is that the times of
colonizing a people living on its own soil have long passed.

"Our belief is that the settlement of the Karabakh conflict should
be based on human rights and the will of the Karabakh people as an
expression of their collective identity. It is the only way to achieve
lasting, feasible, and peaceful settlement.

"The alternative to this settlement is the forcing of the Karabakh
people back into Azerbaijan, which will inevitably lead to attempts of
new ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Karabakh. There is no alternative
here, especially given that Azerbaijan has labelled the vast majority
of the Karabakh population as ‘criminals’ over the last two decades.

"Hence, in view of the consequences of this alternative, we clearly
rule out any pressure-driven concessions in the Karabakh process that
would threaten the Artsakh people’s physical existence, security,
and right to live in dignity," said the RA president.