The last three days the president of Armenia was in Belgium on a working visit where he met with top NATO, EU and Belgian officials discussing bilateral ties and the conflict with Azerbaijan over the self-determination right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. As the regional developments are very much of interest to these institutions the president Serzh Sargsyan explained the core of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and had some direct messages for Turkey and Azerbaijan.
He said when it comes to the Nagorno Karabakh resolution we need serious and consistent work whcih requires strong will on both parts: Armenia and Azerbaijan. He said there is a need for comprehensive resolution to the conflict and not just an attempt to health the symptoms of the conflict. The core of the conflict is the Status of Nagorno Karabakh.
According to president Sargsyan, Armenia does not think it's helpful and useful work ethic to leave the real task and the format of the conflict resolution and to run around the world trying to stage theatrical events here and there for Karabakh resolution. Armenia thinks the Minsk group is the place to solve the conflict a breakthrough can be reached by increasing the role of the de facto authorities of Nagorno Karabakh.
Moreover, the latest elections in Nagorno Karabakh and the high score given by more then 100 international observers once again confirm that the people of Nagorno Karabakh have earned the right to leave free and has built all the necessary democratic and functioning institutions of governance. Nagorno Karabakh is able to develop civilized relations with all of its neighbors and finally "Armenia does not think the style of bringing a tough guy from outside will be of any help to resolve the conflict," the president said during a press conference with the EU Commission president Manuel Barroso.
Here the president of Armenia was clearly referring to Azerbaijan who wants to bring Turkey to become a member of the Minsk group and to play a role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution. However, Armenia is against Turkey's participation for several reasons.
First Turkey has taken a part in the conflict, siding with Azerbaijan. Turkey has closed its borders with Armenia supporting Azerbaijan. Therefore, Turkey can't be an honest and impartial peace broker. The second reason is that Turkey signed two protocols with Armenia for normalizing relations and opening the borders, but then never ratified them in its parliament calling for progress in Nagorno Karabakh. However, those protocols have no word and no relations to Nagorno Karabakh Conflict.
Thus, the president said that Turkey, by siding with Azerbaijan, does not only help Azerbaijan, but day by day diminishes its prospect for playing and constructive role in the Caucasus.
During his meeting with the EU president Herman Van Rompuy, Mr. Sargsyan stressed that "this war in Nagorno Karabakh was brought upon the Armenian people by Azerbaijan leaving them no choice but to defend themselves. "The current situation there is the result of a failed attempt by Azerbaijan to ethnically cleanse the region of Armenian population. The consequences of the war cannot be removed before we solve the question of the right of self-determination of the people living in Nagorno Karabakh. Thus the core of the problem is creating conditions that will allow the people of Nagorno Karabakh to exercise its right of self-determination," the president said.
Azerbaijan denies this right of self-determination blaming Armenian forces for occupying its 7 regions surrounding Nagorno Karabakh. However, as Tomas de Vaal writes in the Preface of his book Karabakh - Black Garden, "the Armenians had no choice but to fight for their identity and rights."
Armenia argues this right must be respected according to the UN charter and the international law. Only then, all the other consequences can be removed.
Written by Armen Hareyan
HULIQ.com
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