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TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT INVIOLABILITY OF BORDERS
Aysor.am
Monday,May 16
"The principle of territorial integrity does not mean inviolability of
borders. Otherwise no new states would be established in the world,
while dozens of new countries appeared on world map over the past
20-30 years," Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview
to the Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper.
According to the Armenian President, Armenia and Azerbaijan really
differ in how they understand the principle of territorial integrity.
"But the entire world follows these principles. The two principles -
territorial integrity and right of nations to self-determination -
gave Azerbaijan and Armenia the possibility to achieve independence.
How can they be interpreted in different ways? This is illogical."
"The problem can only be resolved through compromise. Through all
these years we have sought to find a compromise. Nagorno Karabakh
must decide its own fate, must get all opportunities to live safely
in its native land."
S. Sargsyan stressed that OSCE Minsk Group proposed the document
we call Madrid Principles. This document implies that the conflict
resolution must be based on three principles - non-use of force or
threat to use force, right of nations to self-determination and
territorial integrity, and gives a possibility to continue the
negotiations and prepare a key agreement.
"We clearly understand the meaning of these three principles. After
long reflection, Azerbaijan also said "yes" but for some reason they
interpret these principles in a unique way. Azerbaijan's leadership
is constantly threatening to resume military operations. It is a
violation of the first principle. Both they and we understand the
principle of territorial integrity, though there is an impression that
they absolutize this principle outside the context of international
law. They understand the right of self-determination as pure
self-determination within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
Therefore, it will be very difficult to achieve conflict resolution
until Azerbaijan understands the meaning of this principle. Karabakh
has achieved independence in a bloody and cruel war, in very hard
circumstances, and it would be naïve to think that the people of
Karabakh can abandon something they have achieved," President Serzh
Sargsyan said.
Aysor.am
Monday,May 16
"The principle of territorial integrity does not mean inviolability of
borders. Otherwise no new states would be established in the world,
while dozens of new countries appeared on world map over the past
20-30 years," Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview
to the Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper.
According to the Armenian President, Armenia and Azerbaijan really
differ in how they understand the principle of territorial integrity.
"But the entire world follows these principles. The two principles -
territorial integrity and right of nations to self-determination -
gave Azerbaijan and Armenia the possibility to achieve independence.
How can they be interpreted in different ways? This is illogical."
"The problem can only be resolved through compromise. Through all
these years we have sought to find a compromise. Nagorno Karabakh
must decide its own fate, must get all opportunities to live safely
in its native land."
S. Sargsyan stressed that OSCE Minsk Group proposed the document
we call Madrid Principles. This document implies that the conflict
resolution must be based on three principles - non-use of force or
threat to use force, right of nations to self-determination and
territorial integrity, and gives a possibility to continue the
negotiations and prepare a key agreement.
"We clearly understand the meaning of these three principles. After
long reflection, Azerbaijan also said "yes" but for some reason they
interpret these principles in a unique way. Azerbaijan's leadership
is constantly threatening to resume military operations. It is a
violation of the first principle. Both they and we understand the
principle of territorial integrity, though there is an impression that
they absolutize this principle outside the context of international
law. They understand the right of self-determination as pure
self-determination within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
Therefore, it will be very difficult to achieve conflict resolution
until Azerbaijan understands the meaning of this principle. Karabakh
has achieved independence in a bloody and cruel war, in very hard
circumstances, and it would be naïve to think that the people of
Karabakh can abandon something they have achieved," President Serzh
Sargsyan said.