NKR NA DEPUTY SPEAKER: DEMOCRATIC ARTSAKH CANNOT SURVIVE BEING PART OF DICTATORIAL AZERBAIJAN
19:25, 6 May, 2013
STEPANAKERT, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenpress interviewed the Deputy
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Arthur Tovmasyan. The key issues of the talk were the prospects of
the Karabakh conflict settlement, threatened negotiations stage and
the forthcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
- Mr. Tovmasyan, the attention of the international community towards
Karabakh has considerably increased. It is proved by the latest
events: the establishment of the Artsakh Republic-Lithuanian Republic
Parliamentary Friendship Group, the recognition of the recognition of
the Artsakh Republic by the US Maine State and Fresno City. These
events, as expected, were not accepted normally in Azerbaijan,
mildly speaking. What do you think, what is the real reason for
the Azerbaijan~Rs concern and will Azerbaijan be able to change the
process of the abovementioned events?
- I think, a wave of anxiety was raised by the Azerbaijani
authorities. Recently a big noise was made by the new novel of the
Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli ~SStone Dreams~T. There are parts
in the book, where the Azerbaijani is depreciated and the Armenian
is praised. After that the Azerbaijani people called the writer an
Armenian. Akram Aylisli responded that ~Sif I was an Armenian, I will
have declared about it~T. Thus, I share Azerbaijan into two parts: the
nation of the country and the authorities. I am certain that there are
many people in Azerbaijan, who think like the writer. The difference
is that Aylisli spoke about a thing, thought by a significant section
of the common Azerbaijani people.
The Azerbaijani authorities direct oil dollars to purchase of weapons
and armored vehicles, enriching the clan and foreign policy, ignoring
the social programs. If the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is recognized
by some countries or states, the Azerbaijani authorities will direct
their oil dollars to conduct foreign policy with them, thus threatening
the economic stability of the country. In case of Lithuania, I am
certain, they would have suspended their diplomatic relations with the
country. But if the Lithuanian example is followed by many countries,
Azerbaijan would not be able to treat them the same way.
- What will you say about the possibility of the recognition of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic by Armenia?
- I think, it is not rational to do that in this moment, as the
accepting of the NKR recognition by any of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair countries will mean that that particular country has already
nothing to do in the settlement process. So, it is supposed that
the current stage of the negotiations process will be settled by
Azerbaijan after the recognition of the NKR independence or if we
accept the precondition of entering into the composition of Azerbaijan,
which I consider to be incredible.
- What do you think, will this year be decisive for the settlement
of the NKR conflict?
- I might seem naïve if I say that this year the independence of
the NKR will be recognized. But I am certain that a progress will be
registered in the settlement process. The authorities of Armenia and
Artsakh are of the same opinion ~V the NKR conflict should be settled
in peaceful way, and that does not mean, certainly, that we want any
peace. We support a decent peace and not a forced one.
- Let us talk a bit about the forthcoming presidential elections in
Azerbaijan. Can it somehow affect the negotiations process?
- During the year of the presidential elections we hear rough
statements, but this year is comparatively calmer. Ilham Aliyev
needs rough statements to keep the power, which are made only for the
internal use to persuade the people and seem a powerful president. I am
confident that the forthcoming elections will be several steps behind
the previous ones. (THE FULL INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN).
Interviewed by Vahram Poghosyan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/717950/nkr-na-deputy-speaker-democratic-artsakh-cannot-survive-being-part-of-dictatorial-azerbaijan.html
19:25, 6 May, 2013
STEPANAKERT, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenpress interviewed the Deputy
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Arthur Tovmasyan. The key issues of the talk were the prospects of
the Karabakh conflict settlement, threatened negotiations stage and
the forthcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan.
- Mr. Tovmasyan, the attention of the international community towards
Karabakh has considerably increased. It is proved by the latest
events: the establishment of the Artsakh Republic-Lithuanian Republic
Parliamentary Friendship Group, the recognition of the recognition of
the Artsakh Republic by the US Maine State and Fresno City. These
events, as expected, were not accepted normally in Azerbaijan,
mildly speaking. What do you think, what is the real reason for
the Azerbaijan~Rs concern and will Azerbaijan be able to change the
process of the abovementioned events?
- I think, a wave of anxiety was raised by the Azerbaijani
authorities. Recently a big noise was made by the new novel of the
Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli ~SStone Dreams~T. There are parts
in the book, where the Azerbaijani is depreciated and the Armenian
is praised. After that the Azerbaijani people called the writer an
Armenian. Akram Aylisli responded that ~Sif I was an Armenian, I will
have declared about it~T. Thus, I share Azerbaijan into two parts: the
nation of the country and the authorities. I am certain that there are
many people in Azerbaijan, who think like the writer. The difference
is that Aylisli spoke about a thing, thought by a significant section
of the common Azerbaijani people.
The Azerbaijani authorities direct oil dollars to purchase of weapons
and armored vehicles, enriching the clan and foreign policy, ignoring
the social programs. If the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is recognized
by some countries or states, the Azerbaijani authorities will direct
their oil dollars to conduct foreign policy with them, thus threatening
the economic stability of the country. In case of Lithuania, I am
certain, they would have suspended their diplomatic relations with the
country. But if the Lithuanian example is followed by many countries,
Azerbaijan would not be able to treat them the same way.
- What will you say about the possibility of the recognition of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic by Armenia?
- I think, it is not rational to do that in this moment, as the
accepting of the NKR recognition by any of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair countries will mean that that particular country has already
nothing to do in the settlement process. So, it is supposed that
the current stage of the negotiations process will be settled by
Azerbaijan after the recognition of the NKR independence or if we
accept the precondition of entering into the composition of Azerbaijan,
which I consider to be incredible.
- What do you think, will this year be decisive for the settlement
of the NKR conflict?
- I might seem naïve if I say that this year the independence of
the NKR will be recognized. But I am certain that a progress will be
registered in the settlement process. The authorities of Armenia and
Artsakh are of the same opinion ~V the NKR conflict should be settled
in peaceful way, and that does not mean, certainly, that we want any
peace. We support a decent peace and not a forced one.
- Let us talk a bit about the forthcoming presidential elections in
Azerbaijan. Can it somehow affect the negotiations process?
- During the year of the presidential elections we hear rough
statements, but this year is comparatively calmer. Ilham Aliyev
needs rough statements to keep the power, which are made only for the
internal use to persuade the people and seem a powerful president. I am
confident that the forthcoming elections will be several steps behind
the previous ones. (THE FULL INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN).
Interviewed by Vahram Poghosyan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/717950/nkr-na-deputy-speaker-democratic-artsakh-cannot-survive-being-part-of-dictatorial-azerbaijan.html