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NAGORNO-KARABAKH OBSERVES 20TH ANNIVERSARY LOOKING FORWARD FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
HULIQ.com
Sept 2 2011
SC
Armenian dignitaries joined in the observation of the territory's
20th anniversary of independence today and predicted the international
community will join them someday.
A crowd of thousands, led by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian,
marched through the streets of Stepanakert, the disputed territory's
capital, to lay flowers at the monument to those killed in the
three-year war with Azerbaijan triggered by Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence declaration on Sept. 2, 1991. The day before, Bako
Sahakian, president of the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
gave out medals to military leaders and distinguished citizens.
The seeds of the secession, war and subsequent tense standoff
between Nagorno-Karabakh, its Armenian protector and the Republic of
Azerbaijan were planted in 1923, when the newly formed Soviet Union
gained control of both Armenia and Azerbaijan and incorporated mostly
Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan as an autonomous region.
When both countries regained independence with the breakup of
the Soviet Union in 1991, the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and
a neighboring territory voted to declare themselves independent,
touching off a four-year war which Armenia also entered on the side
of Nagorno-Karabakh. More than 30,000 people perished in the conflict.
To date, no United Nations member state, including Armenia,
recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country. However,
Armenian government officials have predicted that the international
community will eventually do so. Sarkisian, himself a Karabakh native,
reiterated that sentiment in today's anniversary observance. ~SWhatever
was possible in 1923 is not possible in the 21st century,~T he said.
Sarkisian has been an active participant in talks between Armenia
and Azerbaijan seeking a peaceful resolution to the standoff along
the lines of principles most recently reaffirmed in an international
conference in Madrid. Sahakian has indicated that he is willing to
engage in direct talks with Azerbaijan should the Madrid process fail.
The government of Armenia has said that should war break out in the
region again, it will formally recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Despite the lack of recognition, NagornoKarabakh has developed a
stable polity and economy, a situation analogous to that of Taiwan with
respect to China. ~SThe Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is an established
state with all essential structures,~T Sahakian said Thursday.
From: A. Papazian
HULIQ.com
Sept 2 2011
SC
Armenian dignitaries joined in the observation of the territory's
20th anniversary of independence today and predicted the international
community will join them someday.
A crowd of thousands, led by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian,
marched through the streets of Stepanakert, the disputed territory's
capital, to lay flowers at the monument to those killed in the
three-year war with Azerbaijan triggered by Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence declaration on Sept. 2, 1991. The day before, Bako
Sahakian, president of the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
gave out medals to military leaders and distinguished citizens.
The seeds of the secession, war and subsequent tense standoff
between Nagorno-Karabakh, its Armenian protector and the Republic of
Azerbaijan were planted in 1923, when the newly formed Soviet Union
gained control of both Armenia and Azerbaijan and incorporated mostly
Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan as an autonomous region.
When both countries regained independence with the breakup of
the Soviet Union in 1991, the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and
a neighboring territory voted to declare themselves independent,
touching off a four-year war which Armenia also entered on the side
of Nagorno-Karabakh. More than 30,000 people perished in the conflict.
To date, no United Nations member state, including Armenia,
recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country. However,
Armenian government officials have predicted that the international
community will eventually do so. Sarkisian, himself a Karabakh native,
reiterated that sentiment in today's anniversary observance. ~SWhatever
was possible in 1923 is not possible in the 21st century,~T he said.
Sarkisian has been an active participant in talks between Armenia
and Azerbaijan seeking a peaceful resolution to the standoff along
the lines of principles most recently reaffirmed in an international
conference in Madrid. Sahakian has indicated that he is willing to
engage in direct talks with Azerbaijan should the Madrid process fail.
The government of Armenia has said that should war break out in the
region again, it will formally recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Despite the lack of recognition, NagornoKarabakh has developed a
stable polity and economy, a situation analogous to that of Taiwan with
respect to China. ~SThe Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is an established
state with all essential structures,~T Sahakian said Thursday.
From: A. Papazian