Galust Sahakian, head of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) parliamentary faction, said at a press conference on Friday that “the status of Nagorno-Karabakh was a priority for Armenia in the past and remains such in the present.”
“We insist that Nagorno-Karabakh can never be part of Azerbaijan,” he added.
Sahakian said a solution to the long-running dispute might not be necessarily anywhere near in sight despite the recent publication of a set of basic principles of its settlement by the leaders of the nations leading international peace brokering efforts on Nagorno-Karabakh.
The senior HHK member argued that the purpose of the publication was to make discussions “more open”, which he described as “a positive step.”
The presidents of the United States, Russia and France that co-chair the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), issued a joint statement on July 10 outlining six basic principles of the Madrid Document that the international mediators submitted to the negotiating parties back in November 2007.
The published principles, in particular, concern the withdrawal of ethnic Armenian troops from the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and their return to Azerbaijani control, as well as “an interim status” for the disputed territory pending “a future determination of the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.”
Other principles also include guarantees for the territory’s security and self-governance in the transition period backed up with a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh and international security guarantees, including a peacekeeping operation, as well as “the right of all internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence.”
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs said earlier this week they will hold a working session at the end of this month “to prepare an updated version of the Madrid Document in accordance with the ‘L’Aquila Declaration’ of the United States, Russian and French presidents
The statement made by the three leaders on the sidelines of the G8 Summit in the Italian town came amid growing international hopes for the resolution of the “few remaining differences” between Armenia and Azerbaijan before they could finalize their agreement on the Basic Principles.
However, the talks between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russian capital Moscow late last week failed to produce an immediate result. Still, they were hailed as mainly productive by the international negotiators, who hope to set up the next meeting of the presidents in September.
The HHK’s Sahakian told the media that the Madrid principles are acceptable for the Armenian side “only as a basis for negotiations.”
Sahakian called media attention to what he described as “the positive component” in the published principles.
“Though not in a legally binding document, but for the first time it has been stated that ultimately solutions to the Karabakh issue will be found internationally within the framework of the right of nations to self-determination.”
Sahakian insisted that discussions about any territorial concessions can be held only after an agreement around the main issue, i.e. Nagorno-Karabakh’s status.
The HHK parliamentary leader also warned against undue speculation in the process.
“If we begin now to discuss what we are giving and what we are taking, we will distort the main point,” he said.
“We insist that Nagorno-Karabakh can never be part of Azerbaijan,” he added.
Sahakian said a solution to the long-running dispute might not be necessarily anywhere near in sight despite the recent publication of a set of basic principles of its settlement by the leaders of the nations leading international peace brokering efforts on Nagorno-Karabakh.
The senior HHK member argued that the purpose of the publication was to make discussions “more open”, which he described as “a positive step.”
The presidents of the United States, Russia and France that co-chair the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), issued a joint statement on July 10 outlining six basic principles of the Madrid Document that the international mediators submitted to the negotiating parties back in November 2007.
The published principles, in particular, concern the withdrawal of ethnic Armenian troops from the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and their return to Azerbaijani control, as well as “an interim status” for the disputed territory pending “a future determination of the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.”
Other principles also include guarantees for the territory’s security and self-governance in the transition period backed up with a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh and international security guarantees, including a peacekeeping operation, as well as “the right of all internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their former places of residence.”
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs said earlier this week they will hold a working session at the end of this month “to prepare an updated version of the Madrid Document in accordance with the ‘L’Aquila Declaration’ of the United States, Russian and French presidents
The statement made by the three leaders on the sidelines of the G8 Summit in the Italian town came amid growing international hopes for the resolution of the “few remaining differences” between Armenia and Azerbaijan before they could finalize their agreement on the Basic Principles.
However, the talks between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russian capital Moscow late last week failed to produce an immediate result. Still, they were hailed as mainly productive by the international negotiators, who hope to set up the next meeting of the presidents in September.
The HHK’s Sahakian told the media that the Madrid principles are acceptable for the Armenian side “only as a basis for negotiations.”
Sahakian called media attention to what he described as “the positive component” in the published principles.
“Though not in a legally binding document, but for the first time it has been stated that ultimately solutions to the Karabakh issue will be found internationally within the framework of the right of nations to self-determination.”
Sahakian insisted that discussions about any territorial concessions can be held only after an agreement around the main issue, i.e. Nagorno-Karabakh’s status.
The HHK parliamentary leader also warned against undue speculation in the process.
“If we begin now to discuss what we are giving and what we are taking, we will distort the main point,” he said.