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Kocharian Rejects Karabakh Vote Criticism

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  • Kocharian Rejects Karabakh Vote Criticism

    KOCHARIAN REJECTS KARABAKH VOTE CRITICISM
    By Emil Danielyan

    Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
    Dec 13 2006

    President Robert Kocharian condemned international mediators
    and European officials through a spokesman on Wednesday for their
    strong criticism of the weekend referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh on a
    constitution declaring the disputed region an independent state.

    The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council
    of Europe and the European Union joined the Azerbaijani government
    in rejecting the legitimacy of the vote that reaffirmed Karabakh's
    de facto secession from Soviet Azerbaijan.

    The OSCE chairman-in-office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht,
    said it is "counter-productive to the ongoing conflict settlement
    process." In a separate statement, French, Russian and U.S. diplomats
    co-heading the OSCE's Minsk Group on Karabakh likewise called it
    "unhelpful." A similar statement issued by Terry Davis, the Council
    of Europe secretary general, said the international community will
    not recognize the referendum outcome.

    "This is an overt display of disrespect for an event of historic
    significance for the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,"
    Kocharian's press secretary, Victor Soghomonian, was quoted by the
    Regnum news agency as saying.

    "Such an attitude can only undermine the trust in the OSCE and the
    group of mediators. I believe the best thing these gentlemen -- as
    well as 'commentators' from the Council of Europe -- could have done
    was to keep silent," Soghomonian snapped.

    Kocharian on Monday welcomed the official referendum results that
    showed the overwhelming majority of voters in Karabakh approving
    the constitution drafted by their government. He described the vote
    as "another milestone in the establishment of Nagorno-Karabakh's
    independence."

    The authorities in Stepanakert also received a congratulatory message
    from the two U.S. congressmen co-chairing the 142-strong Armenian
    Caucasus in the House of Representatives.
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