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Mediamax, Armenia
July 10 2008
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON NAGORNYY KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Yerevan, 10 July: Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan said in
an exclusive interview with Mediamax today that "the countries which
yield to Azerbaijan's provocations not only avoid assisting the
negotiation progress, but they also endanger it".
Below you can find the full text of the interview:
[Correspondent] Mr Nalbandyan, recently there have been quite a few
statements made on the domination of the principle of territorial
integrity of states. What will your comment be?
[Nalbandyan] A few days ago, I enumerated the principles of the
Helsinki Final Act, basing on which the talks on a peace settlement to
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict are held.
If one of the negotiating sides presents only the principles that are
beneficial for itself, pretending that the two other principles do not
exist, this seriously hinders the negotiation process. And the
countries which yield to Azerbaijan's provocations not only avoid
assisting the negotiation progress, but they also endanger it.
[Correspondent] Do you think this is being done deliberately?
[Nalbandyan] Irrespective of whether this is being done deliberately
or not, in any case, it seriously hinders the negotiation process. No
one should doubt that the resolution of Nagornyy Karabakh is possible
only through the recognition of the right of Artsakh [historical name
for Nagornyy Karabakh] people for self-determination.
[Correspondent] Azerbaijan, meanwhile, argues that the realization of
the right for self-determination is possible only within the framework
of territorial integrity.
[Nalbandyan] Let me give a simple example. In the 1950s, there were
about eight dozens of internationally recognized states in the world,
and now 192 countries are members of the UN, most of which gained
independence by means of realization of the right for
self-determination.
[Correspondent] From time to time, Azerbaijani officials make
statements which contradict your words.
[Nalbandyan] Those certain officials become similar to the dummy
participants of auctions, which try to raise the price by
shouting. However, during diplomatic talks, the trade tricks, used in
markets, do not give results.
[Correspondent] They more and more often talk in Azerbaijan about the
might of their state, which allegedly will allow solving the problem
of Nagornyy Karabakh to the benefit of Baku.
[Nalbandyan] You are right... [ellipses as published] Allegedly. It is
clear that the gains from sale of oil and gas became a reason for
certain giddiness, which caused the illusion of omnipotence. The same
motives guided Azerbaijan in 1991 as well, when it launched a war in
Nagornyy Karabakh. The consequences are well-known.
[Correspondent] There is an opinion that the Armenian Foreign Ministry
does not always react to controversial statements.
[Nalbandyan] Diplomacy is like an iceberg - only a small part of it is
visible, and the bigger part, which is hidden, is the real work. I do
not think that each occasion requires a public reaction.
July 10 2008
ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON NAGORNYY KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Yerevan, 10 July: Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan said in
an exclusive interview with Mediamax today that "the countries which
yield to Azerbaijan's provocations not only avoid assisting the
negotiation progress, but they also endanger it".
Below you can find the full text of the interview:
[Correspondent] Mr Nalbandyan, recently there have been quite a few
statements made on the domination of the principle of territorial
integrity of states. What will your comment be?
[Nalbandyan] A few days ago, I enumerated the principles of the
Helsinki Final Act, basing on which the talks on a peace settlement to
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict are held.
If one of the negotiating sides presents only the principles that are
beneficial for itself, pretending that the two other principles do not
exist, this seriously hinders the negotiation process. And the
countries which yield to Azerbaijan's provocations not only avoid
assisting the negotiation progress, but they also endanger it.
[Correspondent] Do you think this is being done deliberately?
[Nalbandyan] Irrespective of whether this is being done deliberately
or not, in any case, it seriously hinders the negotiation process. No
one should doubt that the resolution of Nagornyy Karabakh is possible
only through the recognition of the right of Artsakh [historical name
for Nagornyy Karabakh] people for self-determination.
[Correspondent] Azerbaijan, meanwhile, argues that the realization of
the right for self-determination is possible only within the framework
of territorial integrity.
[Nalbandyan] Let me give a simple example. In the 1950s, there were
about eight dozens of internationally recognized states in the world,
and now 192 countries are members of the UN, most of which gained
independence by means of realization of the right for
self-determination.
[Correspondent] From time to time, Azerbaijani officials make
statements which contradict your words.
[Nalbandyan] Those certain officials become similar to the dummy
participants of auctions, which try to raise the price by
shouting. However, during diplomatic talks, the trade tricks, used in
markets, do not give results.
[Correspondent] They more and more often talk in Azerbaijan about the
might of their state, which allegedly will allow solving the problem
of Nagornyy Karabakh to the benefit of Baku.
[Nalbandyan] You are right... [ellipses as published] Allegedly. It is
clear that the gains from sale of oil and gas became a reason for
certain giddiness, which caused the illusion of omnipotence. The same
motives guided Azerbaijan in 1991 as well, when it launched a war in
Nagornyy Karabakh. The consequences are well-known.
[Correspondent] There is an opinion that the Armenian Foreign Ministry
does not always react to controversial statements.
[Nalbandyan] Diplomacy is like an iceberg - only a small part of it is
visible, and the bigger part, which is hidden, is the real work. I do
not think that each occasion requires a public reaction.