NORMAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN KARABAKH
LILIT POGHOSYAN
Hayots Ashkharh Daily – Armenia
16 June 07
All the Rest is Unimportant
Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan, a politician, and Hamlet Haroutyunyan,
member of the RPA Parliamentary faction and Chairman of `Artsakh’
compatriots’ union, expresses his viewpoints on the current situation
in Karabakh prior to the Presidential elections
LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN
NO CONTROVERSIES IN KARABAKH
`In general, I don’t find that the intervention in the Presidential
elections of Karabakh on the part of political circles, media
representatives and others is right. Moreover, I don’t find it right
when the candidates, the present-day or future authorities of Karabakh
are compromised.
Unfortunately, people often try to solve some internal problems
without being concerned that in this way they put the process of the
NKR International recognition at stake, impede the realization of the
goals pursued by Artsakh. For example, to return the negotiations to
their former state, i.e. the Minsk Group format and, as a full party to
the negotiations, participate in the settlement process.
If we do not trust the authorities of Karabakh and argue the
legitimacy of the future NKR President from the outset, we, in general,
give the international community and first of all Azerbaijan the
opportunity to express a `vote of no confidence’ to the leadership of
Karabakh and deny Karabakh’s participation in the negotiation process.
In this regards, I consider the speculations regarding the NKR
Presidential elections a flagrant error.
Besides, no one is entitled to compromise the people who have earned
the confidence of the majority of voters. If the people have trusted
this or that political figure, we should also trust that person and
cooperate with him, regardless the way we treat him. In this respect, I
consider mediating in the Karabakh elections from `abroad’ unnecessary,
moreover, harmful.’
`What will you say about Bako Sahakyan, who is considered a
governmental candidate and Mayis Mayilyan, his chief competitor? Does
his `fundamental’ attitude’ towards the NKR conflict settlement
essentially differ from the `non-fundamental’ attitudes of B. Shakayan
and the acting President of Karabakh?’
`I am personally familiar with four of the five candidates proposed
for Presidency; moreover I have been lucky enough to work with them.
There is one thing I can say: there are issues on which there are no
controversies among the authorities of Karabakh and the candidates,
including the fifth candidate I am personally unfamiliar with, as well
as the people of Karabakh on the whole. I am sure that none of the
candidates is going to concede the achievements Artsakh has gained
since 1999.
To raffle and, what’s more, to speculate the alleged controversies
among them with regard to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and
to state that one of them has more and the other – less fundamental
attitude is, in my opinion, wrong. No NKR President can do anything
against the people’s will; the people will not vote for a candidate
whom they do not trust in this matter.’
`While Karabakh is preparing for the Presidential elections, rumors
are heard from Armenia as if Bako Sahakyan is an `illegitimate’ rather
than a united candidate, because he hasn’t allegedly lived in Krabakh
for 10 years on end. Do you see any problem in that regards?’
`This is a fictitious reasoning. B. Sahakyan has worked in the
Armenian Embassy to Russia for a short period of time; there, he
represented the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (as you know, Karabakh does
not have a representation of its own, being an unrecognized state and
makes use of that territory together with Armenia). And the embassies
are considered the territory of the given state; therefore, having been
sent to Moscow on mission and representing the interests of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic, B. Sahakyan couldn’t have naturally been deprived of
his right to permanent residence.’
HAMLET HAROUTYUNYAN
REFRAIN FROM SUCH CONDUCT
The Chairmanship of `Artsakh’ compatriots’ union convened a sitting
and condemned such process of compromising the NKR Presidential
elections, as it harms both Artsakh and the current developments in and
around Artsakh. Regardless the merits earned by each one and his/her
deeds for the sake of Karabakh he/she should have a goal to do
everything possible to contribute to the pro-Armenian settlement of the
Karabakh conflict, not to give way for separate countries and hostile
powers to use Karabakh’s internal political processes for achieving
their goals.
All those libels and false information only play into our enemies’
hands. I have returned from Karabakh quite recently. I am aware of the
dispositions among the people; I know all the details of the
pre-election process and I can testify that the `concerns’ around the
Presidential elections expressed by different activists do not
correspond to reality.’
`Whereas, Igor Murasyan says a universal administrative and
information `terror’ has started in Karabakh in favor of Bako Sahakyan,
the authority’s favorite, with the purpose of creating an artificial
`out-of-the-game’ situation for Mayis Mayilyan, the best among the
alternative candidates.’
`I have observed no trace of tension, administrative or information
terror in Karabakh. In particular, what information terror is possible
if the powerful information tool making it possible to subject the
population to `terror’ does not, unfortunately exist, especially in
rural areas. I have observed no cases of abusing administrative
resources either. But there is one factor I would like to emphasize as
an observer. Let us set aside the advantages or disadvantages of the
candidates; having communicated with people and ordinary voters, I can
state that the people are better informed of the activities of Bako
Sahakyan, one of the candidates and have an obvious sympathy for that
particular candidate.
As an observer, I have followed the elections of Karabakh many a
time and I can confidently say that many countries including Armenia
may follow the pattern of the transparent process under way in
Karabakh. This is not my opinion only; this is the viewpoint of the
international observers who have some way or another participated in
those elections.
I don’t know why currently, before the start of the election
campaign, individual activists are trying to spot Karabakh and its
people and especially the NKR President Arkadi Ghoukasyan who is ending
the second term of his office. He has been leading the country for so
long, and the progress is obvious ` Karabakh is actually a de facto
accomplished state; it exists and develops and we have observed no loss
or a backwards step with regard to the settlement of the Arsakh
conflict. And instead of expressing gratitude to that person and
sending him to a new occupation or the `earned rest’, they spot him and
disseminate libels in his address, yielding to our national mentality.
Therefore, I appeal to all the activists to refrain from such
conduct. That conduct harms neither A. Ghoukasyan, nor Bako Sahakyan;
it harms Karabakh, its people and the pro-Armenian settlement of
Karabakh conflict. As to the `interpersonal’ conflict, if any at all,
they may be transferred to a different plane.’
`Can the results of the NKR Presidential elections produce a
significant impact on the negotiation process? To what extent do the
candidates’ programs and approaches to the settlement differ form the
acting President’s attitudes?’
`I am not one of those activists who condition the settlement of the
Artsakh conflict by individuals, the candidates’ programs or
approaches. One should be at least politically ignorant to account for
the solution to the Karabakh issue by individuals. Regardless the NKR
President, be it Mayis Mayilyan, Hamlet Haoutyunyan or somebody else,
the Karabakh issue will not, fortunately, be solved on the level of
this or that individual.
The people’s will is the key to the solution of the problem;
therefore, no need for certain semi-literate or extremely literate
people to try to mislead people. The Karabakh problem will be solved by
the Armenian people, as a result of manifesting its collective will.’
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
