YEREVAN TO RECOGNIZE KARABAKH INDEPENDENCE ONLY IN CASE OF WAR - PRESIDENT SARGSYAN
Interfax, Russia
March 19, 2013 Tuesday 1:50 PM MSK
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said that his country could
agree to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh's independence only if hostilities
were resumed.
"We will recognize the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent
state if Azerbaijan starts hostilities, or if such a dead-end
situation appears where we will not have any alternatives. In this
case we will have nothing to lose," he told local television stations
on Monday evening.
Recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh's independence is out of the question
in all other situations, he said.
"If we adopt such a decision today, negotiations will be suspended,
which will mean a slap in the face as far as both these talks and
the Minsk Group co-chairmen are concerned. But what should we do
if a war starts? Will we fight against the whole world? Calls for
recognizing Karabakh's independence could come from irresponsible
people," Sargsyan said.
The Heritage opposition party led by Raffi Hovannisian, who lost the
Armenian presidential election on February 18, has demanded recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.
tm mk
Interfax, Russia
March 19, 2013 Tuesday 1:50 PM MSK
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said that his country could
agree to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh's independence only if hostilities
were resumed.
"We will recognize the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent
state if Azerbaijan starts hostilities, or if such a dead-end
situation appears where we will not have any alternatives. In this
case we will have nothing to lose," he told local television stations
on Monday evening.
Recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh's independence is out of the question
in all other situations, he said.
"If we adopt such a decision today, negotiations will be suspended,
which will mean a slap in the face as far as both these talks and
the Minsk Group co-chairmen are concerned. But what should we do
if a war starts? Will we fight against the whole world? Calls for
recognizing Karabakh's independence could come from irresponsible
people," Sargsyan said.
The Heritage opposition party led by Raffi Hovannisian, who lost the
Armenian presidential election on February 18, has demanded recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.
tm mk