Interfax, Russia
April 9 2010

Armenian president does not expect war in Nagorno-Karabakh

YEREVAN April 9

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said he does not think a renewed
armed conflict will break out in the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

"I don’t see any threat of imminent war," Sargsyan said during a
working trip to the Tavush region of Armenia.

He acknowledged, however, that the threat of a war would remain until
peace and stability was brought back to the region through talks
between all sides.

The Defense Ministry should be prepared for a conflict to start at any
moment, Sargsyan said.

"This is why our ministry works from morning till night. I am sure
that our army is combat-ready, and if, God forbid, a war starts
tomorrow, we won’t be taken by surprise," Sargsyan said.

Some Armenians fear a war will break out because of the militant
rhetoric of the Azeri leadership, Sargsyan said.

"I don’t know what these fears are based on because I don’t see their
[Azerbaijan’s] superiority over us," he said.

The main stumbling block is Nagorno-Karabakh’s status, Sargsyan said.

"If the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s self-determination problem is
resolved, all the other issues will be settled very quickly," he said.

Praising the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ proposals, Sargsyan said the
resolution of the problem depends on Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno-
Karabakh and the OSCE Minsk Group partners.