ARTSAKH IS PRICELESS
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
28 Sept 04
Recently OSCE cochairman Stephen Mann has stated that the meeting
of the mediators with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in
Astana were aimed to reveal the presence of political will in the
two leaders. The American cochairman expressed the opinion that
regional development passes by Armenia. Pipelines, roads, railways
are built, and Armenia misses the chance of benefiting from the
economic integration in the entire region. As it would be expected
the reaction to the statement of Mr. Mann did not wait long. On the
same day foreign minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanian gave a press
conference and announced that Armenia cannot be frightened or worried
by stating that Armenia remains outside the implementation of oil
and gas and transport projects. According to the foreign minister
of Armenia, we have proved to the world that without railways and
pipelines Armenia is able to not only survive but even develop going
on to in the next hundred years as well. And to connect the question
of status of Nagorni Karabakh to some oil or gas pipeline and turn it
into an object of trade is simply impossible for, as Vardan Oskanian
emphasized, “Nagorni Karabakh is priceless and is not an object to
be sold, therefore we do not accept the argument that by defending
its interest the Armenian side loses the opportunity to take part in
large regional programs.” In reference to the construction of the
railway, the Georgian-Turkish agreement and other projects passing
by Armenia the foreign minister thinks that it is a mistake. “Whoever
connects these questions to the problem of Nagorni Karabakh, I state
that there can be no relation between these as Artsakh is priceless,”
said Mr. Oskanian. Making use of the meeting with the representatives
of the mass media, the foreign minister of Armenia also summed
up the results of the four meetings of the foreign ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan. Although presenting details of procedure
rather than content, he informed that the preliminary stage of the
process of talks was concluded by the Kocharian-Aliev meeting in
Astana and the four meetings of the foreign ministers in Prague. Now
the negotiation parties have taken a so-called “time out” to think
for a while and then enter the second round of negotiations between
the foreign ministers. According to Mr. Oskanian, the second round
will be on a higher level in terms of quality and will be closer to
the settlement of the problem than the first one. “At the beginning
of the second round the presidents will say what they will do on the
content basis of the talks between the foreign ministers. Those might
be changed, accepted or refused.” During the press conference the
former PACE reporter Terry Davis report on Karabakh was also touched
upon. Mr. Oskanian characterized the report as unacceptable because
it reflected the personal position of the reporter. “It is the opinion
of one person and is a subjective opinion; it is not possible to agree
with it as the picture is not presented truly,” said Vardan Oskanian.
Although the new reporter, British member of parliament David Atkinson
is not of better disposition towards Armenia and Artsakh judging by,
according to Vardan Oskanian, his numerous statements made before
his appointment, Vardan Oskanian, nevertheless, hopes that the new
reporter will be maximally unbiased in preparing his report. Of course,
the Armenian party should contribute to this directly. “Therefore it
is necessary to try to explain, present the situation as objectively
as possible in order for the report not to affect the process of
negotiations. Today this is our problem,” announced Vardan Oskanian.
CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN. 28-09-2004