ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 30, 2005 Wednesday
Minister comes out for existence of two Armenian states
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Armenian Defense Minister, Secretary of the National Security Council
Serzh Sarkisyan came out for the “one Armenian people, two Armenian
states” concept envisioning the existence of two countries – Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh.
Sarkisyan, speaking at a parliamentary hearing Wednesday over the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, said it is strategically
advantageous to raise the issue of membership in international
organizations of the two fraternal states – Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh – and their active cooperation.
“As a principled compromise on settling the conflict, we consider the
fact that Armenia has not yet officially recognized Nagorno Karabakh
as independent state,” the defense minister emphasized.
In his view, it shows Yerevan’s good will with the view of
contributing to the peaceful settlement processes which the OSCE
Minsk group is helping to promote.
Sarkisyan noted that concessions at the talks can be made on the
condition that Azerbaijan gives the guarantee of non-resumption of
war, which should be confirmed by influential international
organizations and separate states.