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NAGORNO-KARABAKH GOES TO PRESIDENTIAL POLLS
Karen Minasyan
RIA Novosti
19/07/2012
YEREVAN
Presidential elections started on Thursday in the unrecognized republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh, the fifth since the republic broke away from
Azerbaijan in the late 1980s.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time and will close at 8 p.m.,
after which the ballot count will begin.
There are three candidates in the running, including incumbent
President Bako Saakyan, National Council Deputy Vitaly Balasanyan and
Arkady Sogomonyan, professor at the Armenian Agricultural University.
The EU has reiterated it does not recognize the legality of the
elections.
Catherine Ashton, the EU high representative for foreign affairs
and security policy, said the European Union "does not recognize the
constitutional and legal framework in which they will be held."
"These 'elections' should not prejudice the determination of the
future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict."
Ashton recalled the EU's firm support to the OSCE Minsk Group, and
in particular to the sustained efforts of its co-chairs, aimed at a
peaceful resolution of the conflict.
"I call on the parties to step up their efforts to find a negotiated
solution to the conflict on the basis of the Madrid principles, which
would allow progress beyond the status quo. I reiterate the EU's
readiness to provide further support to efforts in this direction",
she said.
The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted in the late 1980s,
when the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh
claimed independence from Azerbaijan. It is estimated to have left
more than 30,000 people dead on both sides between 1988 and 1994. The
region has since remained under Armenian control.
There has been an increasing number of shootouts along the line of
contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, as well as at
the border between the two states.
Karen Minasyan
RIA Novosti
19/07/2012
YEREVAN
Presidential elections started on Thursday in the unrecognized republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh, the fifth since the republic broke away from
Azerbaijan in the late 1980s.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time and will close at 8 p.m.,
after which the ballot count will begin.
There are three candidates in the running, including incumbent
President Bako Saakyan, National Council Deputy Vitaly Balasanyan and
Arkady Sogomonyan, professor at the Armenian Agricultural University.
The EU has reiterated it does not recognize the legality of the
elections.
Catherine Ashton, the EU high representative for foreign affairs
and security policy, said the European Union "does not recognize the
constitutional and legal framework in which they will be held."
"These 'elections' should not prejudice the determination of the
future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict."
Ashton recalled the EU's firm support to the OSCE Minsk Group, and
in particular to the sustained efforts of its co-chairs, aimed at a
peaceful resolution of the conflict.
"I call on the parties to step up their efforts to find a negotiated
solution to the conflict on the basis of the Madrid principles, which
would allow progress beyond the status quo. I reiterate the EU's
readiness to provide further support to efforts in this direction",
she said.
The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted in the late 1980s,
when the predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh
claimed independence from Azerbaijan. It is estimated to have left
more than 30,000 people dead on both sides between 1988 and 1994. The
region has since remained under Armenian control.
There has been an increasing number of shootouts along the line of
contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, as well as at
the border between the two states.