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NAGORNO KARABAKH SEEKS COMMON CAUSE WITH PRIDNESTROVIE
By Jason Cooper
Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review, Moldova
Dec 8 2006
A delegation from Nagorno Karabakh's parliament (shown) supports PMR,
while Armenia strongly criticizes MoldovaTIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times)
- Pridnestrovie, also known as Transdnistria, has much in common
with Nagorno Karabakh. That was the conclusion by a top NKR Armenian
delegate to Tiraspol, speaking at a news conference in a run-up to
Sunday's presidential elections.
" - The two countries have much in common. Both of them are
self-sufficient states with all inseparable attributes," Yuri
Hayrapetian, the chairman of the committee on state and legal issues
at the Nagorno Karabakh National Assembly, told a news conference in
Tiraspol. Yuri Hayrapetian and NKR government representative Garry
Jahangirian arrived in Tiraspol to observe the presidential election
due on December 10.
The NKR delegates are going to attend the polling stations and meet
with the Armenian community of Pridnestrovie, often alternately also
called Transdniester in English or Transnistria in Romanian.
" - Both Transdnistria and Nagorno Karabakh are not yet perceived by
the international community as full subjects of international law.
But both states formed and asserted their independence and have
survived bloody wars. Both are under economic blockades, and both
have experienced economic and political hardships," Hayrapetian said.
However, he also remarked that unlike Pridnestrovie, Nagorno Karabakh
has a supporter which defends its interests at international level,
renders it financial assistance, and has a common border with NKR. He
was referring to the Republic of Armenia. And although Moldova is
often quick to assert that in Pridnestrovie's case, Russia is that
kind of supporter, Hayrapetian pointed out that this was not the
case. Russia does not unequivocally defend Pridnestrovie's interests
at the international level, does not automatically render financial
assistance, and does not in the least share any kind of common border
with Pridnestrovie. Although Pridnestrovie does consider Russia a
friend, the relationship is much less clear-cut than in the case of
Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.
" - The other difference is complete absence of any interaction between
Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, the borders with which make the front
line and actually we are still in state of war. At least in this case,
Transdnistria and Moldova has maintained some kind of dialogue. In
our case, the negotiations with Azerbaijan proceeded limply. Instead,
we decided to build our state in accordance with our interests,"
Yuri Hayrapetian said.
Armenia criticizes Moldova Meanwhile, Armenia has issued a strongly
worded statement against Moldova and two other states, noting that
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are meddling into an issue that doesn't
concern them.
" - Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are playing into the hands of
Azerbaijan by meddling into an issue which does not concern them,"
said Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian when commenting on
GUAM's statement about referendum in Nagorno Karabakh.
In his words, the Moldova-backed statement does not have anything
with reality.
" - During a decade and a half, in a situation of no-peace and
no-war, and to their credit, the people and authorities of Nagorno
Karabakh have built a lawful, well-regulated internal governance
system. They have built political institutions; through elections
they have selected their own authorities and developed a legislative
framework. Today, they have recognized the need for a basic law, and
chosen the internationally accepted practice of a referendum as the
only acceptable way to collectively adopt that basic law. Azerbaijan
claims that exercising a vote is an obstruction to the peace process.
Just the opposite. At the core of the negotiations to reach a peaceful
resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the right of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination. What really obstructs
the process is the Azerbaijani overreaction to Karabakh's democratic
activities, their refusal to engage Nagorno Karabakh in peace talks,
their repeated militaristic calls and their persistent efforts to
sidetrack the Minsk Group negotiation process," reports the press
office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
On Sunday, Pridnestrovie's voters go to the polls in a democratic
election to freely and fairly choose a president. It is the fourth
such election in the young country's 16 year history. (With information
from PanArmenian Network)
Article URL: www.tiraspoltimes.com/node/390
By Jason Cooper
Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review, Moldova
Dec 8 2006
A delegation from Nagorno Karabakh's parliament (shown) supports PMR,
while Armenia strongly criticizes MoldovaTIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times)
- Pridnestrovie, also known as Transdnistria, has much in common
with Nagorno Karabakh. That was the conclusion by a top NKR Armenian
delegate to Tiraspol, speaking at a news conference in a run-up to
Sunday's presidential elections.
" - The two countries have much in common. Both of them are
self-sufficient states with all inseparable attributes," Yuri
Hayrapetian, the chairman of the committee on state and legal issues
at the Nagorno Karabakh National Assembly, told a news conference in
Tiraspol. Yuri Hayrapetian and NKR government representative Garry
Jahangirian arrived in Tiraspol to observe the presidential election
due on December 10.
The NKR delegates are going to attend the polling stations and meet
with the Armenian community of Pridnestrovie, often alternately also
called Transdniester in English or Transnistria in Romanian.
" - Both Transdnistria and Nagorno Karabakh are not yet perceived by
the international community as full subjects of international law.
But both states formed and asserted their independence and have
survived bloody wars. Both are under economic blockades, and both
have experienced economic and political hardships," Hayrapetian said.
However, he also remarked that unlike Pridnestrovie, Nagorno Karabakh
has a supporter which defends its interests at international level,
renders it financial assistance, and has a common border with NKR. He
was referring to the Republic of Armenia. And although Moldova is
often quick to assert that in Pridnestrovie's case, Russia is that
kind of supporter, Hayrapetian pointed out that this was not the
case. Russia does not unequivocally defend Pridnestrovie's interests
at the international level, does not automatically render financial
assistance, and does not in the least share any kind of common border
with Pridnestrovie. Although Pridnestrovie does consider Russia a
friend, the relationship is much less clear-cut than in the case of
Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.
" - The other difference is complete absence of any interaction between
Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, the borders with which make the front
line and actually we are still in state of war. At least in this case,
Transdnistria and Moldova has maintained some kind of dialogue. In
our case, the negotiations with Azerbaijan proceeded limply. Instead,
we decided to build our state in accordance with our interests,"
Yuri Hayrapetian said.
Armenia criticizes Moldova Meanwhile, Armenia has issued a strongly
worded statement against Moldova and two other states, noting that
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are meddling into an issue that doesn't
concern them.
" - Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are playing into the hands of
Azerbaijan by meddling into an issue which does not concern them,"
said Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian when commenting on
GUAM's statement about referendum in Nagorno Karabakh.
In his words, the Moldova-backed statement does not have anything
with reality.
" - During a decade and a half, in a situation of no-peace and
no-war, and to their credit, the people and authorities of Nagorno
Karabakh have built a lawful, well-regulated internal governance
system. They have built political institutions; through elections
they have selected their own authorities and developed a legislative
framework. Today, they have recognized the need for a basic law, and
chosen the internationally accepted practice of a referendum as the
only acceptable way to collectively adopt that basic law. Azerbaijan
claims that exercising a vote is an obstruction to the peace process.
Just the opposite. At the core of the negotiations to reach a peaceful
resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the right of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination. What really obstructs
the process is the Azerbaijani overreaction to Karabakh's democratic
activities, their refusal to engage Nagorno Karabakh in peace talks,
their repeated militaristic calls and their persistent efforts to
sidetrack the Minsk Group negotiation process," reports the press
office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
On Sunday, Pridnestrovie's voters go to the polls in a democratic
election to freely and fairly choose a president. It is the fourth
such election in the young country's 16 year history. (With information
from PanArmenian Network)
Article URL: www.tiraspoltimes.com/node/390