ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO REPORT 1991 REFERENDUM RESULTS IN NKR AT TALKS: ARFD
news.am
May 7 2010
Armenia
Dynamically changing geopolitical situation in the region incites new
challenges entailing the following question: how many independent
states will be in the South Caucasus, chairman of the ARFD Supreme
Council of Armenia and the head of the Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations Armen Rustamyan said at ARFD Hay Dat committees’ conference.
"Today the priority is to determine the number of independent states
in the South Caucasus (3 states, 3+1, 3+2 or 3+3). One of the main
regional actors, Russia with constantly increasing role in the region
to date adhered to the concept of three independent states. However,
after Russia-Georgia war, Moscow’s strategy changed and presently
it backs 3+2 formula, comprising Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan plus
Abkhazia and Ossetia. Azerbaijan-Turkey alliance is ready to support
this idea unless it turns into 3+3, the mentioned countries plus
Nagorno-Karabakh," Rustamyan specified, stressing it is the main
reason for Turkey’s aspiration to participate in Karabakh peace
process. "However, Iran also expressed readiness to participate in the
talks on Karabakh, facing official Yerevan’s silence. ARFD does not
veil its position that Iran’s involvement in the process is tantamount
to that of Ankara. Although Iran is not OSCE member, it should not
be isolated from the process," he stated, adding that changes in OSCE
Minsk Group format proposed by Baku and Ankara are inadmissible.
ARFD member emphasized that Karabakh peace process entered a new stage,
when Armenian side cannot keep its passive posture. "Karabakhi people
expressed their will in a referendum, self-determining in the territory
that is de facto within NKR administrative boundaries. This should be
reported de jure by Armenian authorities at the negotiating table,"
he concluded.