Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, Yerevan, in Armenian
17 Sep 05 p 2
SEPARATIST MINISTER NEGATIVE ABOUT AZERI LEADERSHIP’S BELLICOSE
STATEMENTS
“I am sure that the world will recognize Nagornyy Karabakh”
An interview with the foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic [NKR], Arman Melikyan.
Asked about his attitude towards the International Crisis Group’s
report on Armenia, Arman Melikyan replied: “There are impartial and
sensible points in it, but there are also views that contradict our
position. At present, I would not like to talk about the details of
our approaches, but a certain policy can be noticed from the first
pages of the document.” Then, he added that the report is being
studied in detail and the attitude of the NKR Foreign Ministry
towards the report will be presented in a written form.
Journalists also wondered about the details of discussions on the
Karabakh issue at the sitting of the temporary commission of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The minister said:
“In fact, it is already noticeable that different international
organizations understand that without the NKR, it is difficult to
find a way to solve the issue.” Asked about the steps taken by the
Foreign Ministry for the international recognition of the NKR,
Melikyan replied: “It is no secret that the beginning of legislative
work is one of the most important components for the international
recognition of the country. The NKR parliament recently adopted a
number of laws concerning our system. I would emphasize the law ‘On
the international agreements of the NKR’, which will become a basis
for establishing official relations with our country. I hope that we
shall join a number of international conventions by the end of the
year. I am sure that the NKR will be internationally recognized in
the near future.”
Asked about Melikyan’s attitude towards [International Crisis Group
representative] Alain Deletroz’s statement that a referendum should
be conducted in the NKR in 10-15 years’ time to define the status of
the NKR and asked whether Deletroz had grounds to say this, Melikyan
replied: “I do not doubt that the group is not interested in a
long-lasting peace in the region. As for the conditions that have
been offered, we may not accept them, especially as idea of holding a
referendum is not at a stage when we should discuss such an option.
There are always pre-conditions. But the principle of adequacy should
become one of the main principles in the negotiations, however, in
fact it does not exist yet.”
“Mr Melikyan, how will you comment on the fact that there was no
comment in Armenia and Azerbaijan after Kazan meeting between
[Armenian President Robert] Kocharyan and [Azerbaijani President
Ilham] Aliyev?” Melikyan did not deny that maybe this time Aliyev
decided to keep to the principle of confidentiality. Asked about his
attitude towards the openly bellicose statements of the Azerbaijani
leadership, Melikyan replied: “Of course, my attitude is negative. I
think that war is unlikely at the moment.” At the same time, the
minister did not rule out that war is possible.