FORMER ARMENIAN PM – "ONCE WE GIVE BACK LANDS IN KARABAKH, THEY’RE GONE FOREVER"
Natasha Harutyunyan
n-4/
2010/03/24 | 13:39
politics
Former RoA Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, a member of the opposition
HAK, expressed serious doubts as to whether Azerbaijan could be
trusted to carry out its obligations as set forth in any document
signed to resolve the Karabakh conflict.Mr. Bagratyan expressed his
views on the heels of President Serzh Sargsyan’s remarks in Syria
regarding Armenia’s willingness to discuss territorial concessions in
Karabakh after the NKR populace is guaranteed the right to exercise
self-determination. Many pundits, both within the Armenian government
and in the public arena, have been quick to interpret the president’s
remarks, which probably constitute the first time the Armenian head
of state has so clearly and publicly opened the door to giving lands
back to Azerbaijan as part of a compromise deal.
"Such an agreement will turn into a regular sheet of paper two months
after being signed and the land corridor between Armenia and Karabakh
will be closed again. On the one hand, the international community
is pressuring us to sign, while on the other it says, watch out,
I have no guarantees to offer. I am interested in the guarantees,"
Mr. Bagratyan told Hetq.
Mr. Bagratyan described himself as a peaceful individual who supports
the idea of negotiations.
"If we can ensure long-term peace with Azerbaijan by returning 2-3
districts, I say fine. If they agree, let’s do it. But I have a
question to ask of President Sargsyan. If you’re returning lands;
good. You are the president and we must follow your lead. But what
are the guarantees that tomorrow the road won’t be closed?" asked he
former prime minister.
The HAK official said that once we returned lands in Karabakh,
we’d never get them back. If Azerbaijan, however, opens the road,
it could close it at any minute.
The international community, Mr. Bagratyan argued, must declare that
it is establishing a neutral corridor between Armenia and Karabakh
for 100 years
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
