Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Right To Self-Determination Becomes Prevalent

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Right To Self-Determination Becomes Prevalent

    RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION BECOMES PREVALENT
    Gevorg Haroutyunyan

    Hayots Ashkhar Daily
    26 Aug 2008
    Armenia

    Interview with ARMEN ROUSTAMYAN, Head of the NA Committee on Foreign
    Relations

    "Mr. Roustamyan, judging by all, the Russian Federation may, in the
    near future, officially recognize the independence of South Osetia
    and Abkhazia.

    What may be the impact of this factor on our efforts towards achieving
    the international recognition of the NKR independence?"

    "Any new event in the geopolitical developments imparts new shades
    to the issue of recognizing the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh
    Republic.

    Taking into consideration all this, we should constantly consider
    as a starting point the fact that the recognition of the NKR is
    fully substantiated only on for Armenia but also on international
    levels. There are all the grounds for recognizing the NKR independence.

    Today, a number of nations declare their independence on the basis of
    the right to self-determination. In comparison with all these cases,
    the existing bases required for the recognition of the NKR independence
    are on a much higher level. And the current geopolitical developments
    are an additional occasion for voicing this fact from all the high
    international tribunals once again.

    In case of declaring its independence, the country should actually
    comply with the well-known four criteria of the Montevideo Agreement,
    which define the fact of the state being accomplished. The Nagorno
    Kharabakh Republic definitely complies with all those criteria because
    it has its state borders, permanent population and authorities elected
    legitimately and democratically and has proven many a time that
    it is capable of conducting international relations on an official
    level independently."

    "Is the parliament of our country ready to discuss the issue of
    recognizing the independence of Artsakh in the current geo-political
    situation? What should be done for that?"

    "The issue of recognizing the NKR independence should be the principal
    trump-card of our country's diplomacy in general. In the meantime,
    it is necessary to constantly consider all the circumstances for
    using that trump-card, i.e. when and how it is proper to do that.

    The precise choice of the moment is, in my opinion, determined by three
    factors. First, the recognition of the independence should be initiated
    by the NKR itself. And the process should be coordinated between the
    Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Armenia. The step should also be made
    in such a way and in such circumstances that will enable the Armenian
    sides to strengthen their positions in the context of international
    negotiations through recognizing the independence of Karabakh. And
    last but not the least, we must be able to attain such results that
    we'll help us prevent the possible aggression by Azerbaijan.

    In this contex t, I consider it necessary to introduce precision in
    the existing misperception that the recognition of the independence
    of Karabakh will be enough for preventing Azerbaijan's bellicose
    ambitions. This is not absolutely right because such step is necessary
    but not enough.

    And in order to have sufficient guarantees it is first of all
    necessary for Armenia and Karabakh to announce simultaneously on
    their intention of forming a military-political alliance. This step
    will enable Armenia to obtain the status of the guarantor of the
    independence and security of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the
    context of the settlement of the conflict.

    Armenia possesses that right. We must now be able to state the fact
    on the international level.

    The National Assembly is always ready to discuss the issue of
    recognizing the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. However,
    it is again necessary to take into consideration the issue of choosing
    a proper moment.

    After all, the recognition should be achieved by the agreement of
    the two presidents and citizens. It should be the product of united,
    consolidated work."

    "Mr. Roustamyan, what changes did the recent developments introduce
    into the ratio of the geopolitical forces?"

    "If we view of those changes from a little bit broader perspective,
    it will be possible to record two new precedents. The first was
    the Kosovo precedent which definitely showed that the right to
    self-determination is accepted by the international tribunals as a
    primary approach and principle.

    Moreover, it is this approach that is recognized as the only right
    way towards the settlement of the conflict peacefully, through
    negotiations.

    The second precedent concerns the security guarantees. The recent
    developments showed quite clearly that all the hot-headed politicians
    who believe that it is possible to settle the conflict by the use of
    force not only demonstrate short-sightedness but also create a new
    tension in the geo-political atmosphere which is fragile as it is.

    And that is always fraught with the danger that the ongoing war will
    not only be restricted to the direct parties to the conflict but
    also involve the geo-political forces supporting them. The front-line
    confrontation of the parties can, in such cases, create preconditions
    for inciting a global war. "
Working...
X