IRANIAN BORDER IS STRATEGICALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN KARABAKH - TER-PETROSYAN
Tert.am
23.06.11
The Iranian border is strategically more important for Armenia than
Nagorno Karabakh, according to Armenia's first president and current
opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
The ex-president made the statement in a recent interview with the
Russian Moskovskiye Novosti when asked to comment on the possibility
of exchanging the Nagorno Karabakh with the southern region of Syunik
(which borders on Iran).
"I have never said anything about Syunik. We had such option, and
there is a document envisaging an exchange of lands between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. Karabakh was to unite with Armenia, and Azerbaijan was
to unite with Nakhichevan via the corridor of Meghri," he said. "But
I would never have taken such decision, as that would have deprived
us of the border with Iran, a country which is strategically even
more important than Karabakh."
Ter-Petrosyan regretted to note that Armenia suffered great losses
in the past 13 years.
"It was not only a waste of time, but also a period of missed chances
for Armenia's development, and irrevocable losses. They are now
trying to do what they failed to within those 13 years, but that
costs a lot of losses," he added.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
23.06.11
The Iranian border is strategically more important for Armenia than
Nagorno Karabakh, according to Armenia's first president and current
opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
The ex-president made the statement in a recent interview with the
Russian Moskovskiye Novosti when asked to comment on the possibility
of exchanging the Nagorno Karabakh with the southern region of Syunik
(which borders on Iran).
"I have never said anything about Syunik. We had such option, and
there is a document envisaging an exchange of lands between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. Karabakh was to unite with Armenia, and Azerbaijan was
to unite with Nakhichevan via the corridor of Meghri," he said. "But
I would never have taken such decision, as that would have deprived
us of the border with Iran, a country which is strategically even
more important than Karabakh."
Ter-Petrosyan regretted to note that Armenia suffered great losses
in the past 13 years.
"It was not only a waste of time, but also a period of missed chances
for Armenia's development, and irrevocable losses. They are now
trying to do what they failed to within those 13 years, but that
costs a lot of losses," he added.
From: A. Papazian