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AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST STATE RECOGNIZES NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC
RIA Novosti
29/10/2012
MOSCOW
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
The legislature in New South Wales, Australia, has recognized the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, the predominantly Armenian-populated
region which claimed independence from Azerbaijan in the late 1980s.
The motion came ahead of a new round of settlement talks.
Officials in Azerbaijan responded to the news with irritation: "Armenia
is indulging in wishful thinking as usual. Now they are trying to
present the opinion of one or two members of a regional legislature
as recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh's supposed independence," said
Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev.
He dismissed the "obscure document" as a "cheap and desperate gimmick"
which was probably financed by the Armenian diaspora, adding that
Australia had been supporting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity
at the official level. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan is going to demand
explanations, he said.
Azerbaijani analysts refrained from commenting until there was an
official statement from Australia. "In any case, a resolution by
one Australian state legislature is not good news for Azerbaijan,
but it's not a catastrophe either," a source said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan, currently on a visit
to Costa Rica, said during a meeting with the country's parliament
speaker: "The harder Azerbaijan in its attempts to preserve
a status-quo tries to hamper the [OSCE Minsk Group' co-chairmen]
efforts to end the conflict, the more decisions will be passed similar
to the New South Wales parliament resolution, which will eventually
pave the way for international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh."
As well as the resolution on the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh and
the right to self-determination of the Karabakh people, the Legislative
Council of the New South Wales Parliament also appealed to the national
government to officially recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both
resolutions were passed unanimously, the Armenian National Committee
of Australia reported.
"This recognition by New South Wales is a very important event,"
said Eduard Sharmazanov, Armenia's deputy parliament speaker. "This
is a result of Armenia's active diplomacy aimed at the recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Media reports say Uruguay plans to recognize it
in the near future."
President of Nagorno-Karabakh Spokesperson David Babayan also described
the New South Wales motion as a success of Armenian diplomacy,
along with recognition by the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode
Island. "It is even more valuable because New South Wales is the most
developed and densely populated state, and the Australian state had
actually formed around it."
"It could trigger recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh by other countries
as well," he added.
Former Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said this
motion should promote economic and cultural contacts between New
South Wales and Nagorno-Karabakh, which would in turn help expand
the republic's international contacts.
"According to preliminary data, the Uruguayan parliament speaker will
visit Armenia in late November to reach a final agreement. He will then
travel to Nagorno-Karabakh," Armenian daily Hraparak wrote, hinting
that official recognition by Uruguay would follow. Uruguay was also
the first to recognize the genocide of Armenians, the newspaper added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
RIA Novosti
29/10/2012
MOSCOW
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
The legislature in New South Wales, Australia, has recognized the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, the predominantly Armenian-populated
region which claimed independence from Azerbaijan in the late 1980s.
The motion came ahead of a new round of settlement talks.
Officials in Azerbaijan responded to the news with irritation: "Armenia
is indulging in wishful thinking as usual. Now they are trying to
present the opinion of one or two members of a regional legislature
as recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh's supposed independence," said
Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev.
He dismissed the "obscure document" as a "cheap and desperate gimmick"
which was probably financed by the Armenian diaspora, adding that
Australia had been supporting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity
at the official level. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan is going to demand
explanations, he said.
Azerbaijani analysts refrained from commenting until there was an
official statement from Australia. "In any case, a resolution by
one Australian state legislature is not good news for Azerbaijan,
but it's not a catastrophe either," a source said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan, currently on a visit
to Costa Rica, said during a meeting with the country's parliament
speaker: "The harder Azerbaijan in its attempts to preserve
a status-quo tries to hamper the [OSCE Minsk Group' co-chairmen]
efforts to end the conflict, the more decisions will be passed similar
to the New South Wales parliament resolution, which will eventually
pave the way for international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh."
As well as the resolution on the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh and
the right to self-determination of the Karabakh people, the Legislative
Council of the New South Wales Parliament also appealed to the national
government to officially recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Both
resolutions were passed unanimously, the Armenian National Committee
of Australia reported.
"This recognition by New South Wales is a very important event,"
said Eduard Sharmazanov, Armenia's deputy parliament speaker. "This
is a result of Armenia's active diplomacy aimed at the recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Media reports say Uruguay plans to recognize it
in the near future."
President of Nagorno-Karabakh Spokesperson David Babayan also described
the New South Wales motion as a success of Armenian diplomacy,
along with recognition by the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode
Island. "It is even more valuable because New South Wales is the most
developed and densely populated state, and the Australian state had
actually formed around it."
"It could trigger recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh by other countries
as well," he added.
Former Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said this
motion should promote economic and cultural contacts between New
South Wales and Nagorno-Karabakh, which would in turn help expand
the republic's international contacts.
"According to preliminary data, the Uruguayan parliament speaker will
visit Armenia in late November to reach a final agreement. He will then
travel to Nagorno-Karabakh," Armenian daily Hraparak wrote, hinting
that official recognition by Uruguay would follow. Uruguay was also
the first to recognize the genocide of Armenians, the newspaper added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress