NKR President: "the Independence And Security Of Artsakh Are Not Sub

NKR PRESIDENT: "THE INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY OF ARTSAKH ARE NOT SUBJECT TO A BARGAIN"

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-01-18 14:37

President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) Bako Sahakian
received American Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke
and his party who had arrived in Stepanakert the same day.

According to the information of the Central Information Department of
the NKR President’s Office, a series of issues related to the current
stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement
were discussed at the meeting.

Bako Sahakian emphasized that the position of official Stepanakert on
establishing relations with Azerbaijan remained unchanged: the conflict
cannot be settled without a direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and
Artsakh. In this connection, the head of state noted the necessity of
Azerbaijan’s refusing of its unconstructive and militant rhetoric. The
President emphasized that the independence and security of Artsakh
were not subject to a bargain, and any attempt to ignore this made
the comprehensive settlement of the conflict impossible.

In his turn, Robert Bradtke stated that any option of forced settlement
of the conflict was absolutely unacceptable.

The process of establishing Armenian-Turkish relations was also
discussed at the meeting. Both parties noted that the Armenian-Turkish
and Azerbaijani-Karabakh relations were separate and unrelated
processes.

* * *

After the meeting with the head of state, the American mediator
informed the journalists that he had arrived in the region within the
preparation of a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
scheduled for that week and that he considered it important to learn
the positions of Nagorno Karabakh’s population and leadership.

"The United States is firmly focused on achieving progress in the
Karabakh conflict settlement process. I’d like to assure you that
in the new year the USA will use all its efforts that the Karabakh
people live a peaceful and prosperous life in the future", said
Robert Bradtke.

The American mediator noted that the leadership and people of Nagorno
Karabakh should know about the negotiations between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents.

"We provide corresponding information about the negotiations’ status
and the subject of discussions", said Robert Bradtke.