RETURN OF KARABAKH WILL LEAD TO ARMENIANS’ EVICTION – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Interfax
April 5 2010
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan thinks the Karabakh conflict can
be resolved quickly if Azerbaijan recognizes the independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

"If Azerbaijan recognizes the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,
I think the matter can be resolved within hours. Unfortunately,
they still believe they have to get Karabakh back. The return of
Karabakh to Azerbaijan will mean the full eviction of Armenians from
Nagorno-Karabakh within a short period of time," Sargsyan said in an
interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel.

"Why were the countries of the former Yugoslavia able to have
independence? Why should Karabakh not have the same rights? Is it only
because Azerbaijan has oil and gas and has Turkey as its patron? We
believe it’s unfair," Sargsyan said.

Sargsyan said the Turks want concessions from Armenia. "However, that
is impossible. The most important issue is the exercise of the right
of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to determine their independence.

Armenia does not link the genocide of Armenians by Turkey to the
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, it’s not our fault that no
reconciliation is happening," Sargsyan said.

Speaking about the international recognition of the genocide of
Armenians, Sargsyan said it is a matter of historical justice and
national security.

"The best way to prevent this horrible thing from happening again is
to clearly condemn it. However, I would like to specify the following:
no Armenian official has ever made territorial claims against Turkey.

The Turks are accusing us of that. Maybe they do so because they
realize their guilt?" Sargsyan said.

Sargsyan spoke against the idea of creating a joint Armenian-Turkish
commission made up of historians.