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KOSOVO IMPORTANT PRECEDENT FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT
BY DAVID ARAKELYAN
ASBAREZ
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
NEWPORT BEACH
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) President Bako Sahakian said
Friday the Kosovo precedent was important for the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict and rebuffed Azeri attempts to poison his appearance
at a gathering hosted by Orange County World Affairs Council at the
Pacific Club, where Sahakian was the keynote speaker.
Sahakian spoke to an audience of about 250 guests, mainly members of
the Armenian community and the WAC, but peppered with members of the
Azeri community, who asked biased questions during the Q & A session
at the end of president~Rs speech. Another group of 15 to 20 Azeris
was protesting outside of the venue.
In his opening remarks, President Sahakian talked about some of
the domestic and foreign policy objectives of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, and the progress that has been made in those areas over
the past few years.
In reference to the parallels between Karabakh and Kosovo, which was
brought up in one of the questions, the President said that ~SKosovo
is an important precedent of the implementation of international law,
where the principle of self-determination prevailed~T and stated that
the International Court of Justice confirmed Kosovo~Rs independence.
Just like in Kosovo, the people in Karabakh made their choice to
live independently, and that decision is ~Snot subject to speculation
and interpretation.~T
Sahakian said that Karabakh must return to negotiation table because
~Sno settlement of the conflict is going to be possible without
the agreement of Stepanakert.~T The President said the government
of Azerbaijan was unwilling to take any real steps to resolve the
conflict peacefully and pointed to the continued military rhetoric
and the constant ceasefire violations initiated by the Azeris.
He called upon the international community to condemn the ~Sdestructive
position~T of Azerbaijan, stating that ~Sthe international community
can have an influential role in curbing Baku~Rs militaristic rhetoric
and stopping the Azeri government from continuous increase in military
expenditures.~T
In response to a question about the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, Sahakian stressed that the ~Srecognition of Arstakh is
just a matter of time~T and expressed confidence that ~Smost Western
countries are interested in the establishment of a new, free, and
democratic state~T in the Caucasus.
On the domestic front, Sahakian reported that the gross domestic
product of the country has increased fivefold from 2003, when it was
only $427 per capita, to 2009, when it reached the $2,000 mark. Even in
2008, the year when the most recent economic crisis began, Artsakh~Rs
economy grew by more than 70 percent compared to 2007 levels. The
budget of the republic currently stands at 55 billion drams (or roughly
$150 million), and the main sectors of the economy are construction,
agriculture, industry, and energy.
The President expressed confidence that soon, Karabakh is poised to
become an energy-exporting country and reforms in the agricultural
sector will enhance the productivity of Karabakh farmers.
The protesters outside were holding anti-Armenian signs with references
to the ~S500,000 refugees from Karabakh,~T ~Sthe occupation of Azeri
territories,~T and the so-called ~SKhojaly massacre.~T A few Armenian
Youth Federation members challenged the protesters~R falsified claims
and gave historical evidence to point out to the inaccuracies contained
in the posters held by the Azeris, but that did not seem to change
the mind of the Azeri activists.
While addressing statements made about the ~SKhojaly Massacre~T in
his response to an Azeri member of the audience, Sahakian stated
that the ~SKhojaly issue was a tactical move [adopted by the Azeris]
to divert attention from the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.~T
He stated that the Armenian forces never engaged in any actions against
the civilian population of Azerbaijan, and only fought back in war
which was imposed upon the Armed Forces and the population of Artsakh.
From: A. Papazian
BY DAVID ARAKELYAN
ASBAREZ
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
NEWPORT BEACH
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) President Bako Sahakian said
Friday the Kosovo precedent was important for the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict and rebuffed Azeri attempts to poison his appearance
at a gathering hosted by Orange County World Affairs Council at the
Pacific Club, where Sahakian was the keynote speaker.
Sahakian spoke to an audience of about 250 guests, mainly members of
the Armenian community and the WAC, but peppered with members of the
Azeri community, who asked biased questions during the Q & A session
at the end of president~Rs speech. Another group of 15 to 20 Azeris
was protesting outside of the venue.
In his opening remarks, President Sahakian talked about some of
the domestic and foreign policy objectives of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, and the progress that has been made in those areas over
the past few years.
In reference to the parallels between Karabakh and Kosovo, which was
brought up in one of the questions, the President said that ~SKosovo
is an important precedent of the implementation of international law,
where the principle of self-determination prevailed~T and stated that
the International Court of Justice confirmed Kosovo~Rs independence.
Just like in Kosovo, the people in Karabakh made their choice to
live independently, and that decision is ~Snot subject to speculation
and interpretation.~T
Sahakian said that Karabakh must return to negotiation table because
~Sno settlement of the conflict is going to be possible without
the agreement of Stepanakert.~T The President said the government
of Azerbaijan was unwilling to take any real steps to resolve the
conflict peacefully and pointed to the continued military rhetoric
and the constant ceasefire violations initiated by the Azeris.
He called upon the international community to condemn the ~Sdestructive
position~T of Azerbaijan, stating that ~Sthe international community
can have an influential role in curbing Baku~Rs militaristic rhetoric
and stopping the Azeri government from continuous increase in military
expenditures.~T
In response to a question about the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, Sahakian stressed that the ~Srecognition of Arstakh is
just a matter of time~T and expressed confidence that ~Smost Western
countries are interested in the establishment of a new, free, and
democratic state~T in the Caucasus.
On the domestic front, Sahakian reported that the gross domestic
product of the country has increased fivefold from 2003, when it was
only $427 per capita, to 2009, when it reached the $2,000 mark. Even in
2008, the year when the most recent economic crisis began, Artsakh~Rs
economy grew by more than 70 percent compared to 2007 levels. The
budget of the republic currently stands at 55 billion drams (or roughly
$150 million), and the main sectors of the economy are construction,
agriculture, industry, and energy.
The President expressed confidence that soon, Karabakh is poised to
become an energy-exporting country and reforms in the agricultural
sector will enhance the productivity of Karabakh farmers.
The protesters outside were holding anti-Armenian signs with references
to the ~S500,000 refugees from Karabakh,~T ~Sthe occupation of Azeri
territories,~T and the so-called ~SKhojaly massacre.~T A few Armenian
Youth Federation members challenged the protesters~R falsified claims
and gave historical evidence to point out to the inaccuracies contained
in the posters held by the Azeris, but that did not seem to change
the mind of the Azeri activists.
While addressing statements made about the ~SKhojaly Massacre~T in
his response to an Azeri member of the audience, Sahakian stated
that the ~SKhojaly issue was a tactical move [adopted by the Azeris]
to divert attention from the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.~T
He stated that the Armenian forces never engaged in any actions against
the civilian population of Azerbaijan, and only fought back in war
which was imposed upon the Armed Forces and the population of Artsakh.
From: A. Papazian