Sargsyan: Armenia to be left with no option but to recognize Karabakh’s independence, if Azerbaijan resorts to force
02.12.2010,
18:06
Armenia will be left with no option but to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s independence, if Azerbaijan unleashes war, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Thursday in his speech at the OSCE summit in Astana.
YEREVAN, December 2. /ARKA/. Armenia will be left with no option but to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s independence, if Azerbaijan unleashes war, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Thursday in his speech at the OSCE summit in Astana.
“Armenia strongly objects to resumption of military actions in Nagorno Karabakh. However, if Azerbaijan resorts to aggression, Armenia will be left with no choice but to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, its legal status and to strengthen its ability to ensure security to its people,” RIA Novosti quoted the president as saying.
The Armenian president thinks Baku shows no interest in settlement of Karabakh conflict.
He is convinced that any solution should be based on Karabakhi people’s will.
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.
Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.
Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.
Since 1992, talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. -0-
“Armenia strongly objects to resumption of military actions in Nagorno Karabakh. However, if Azerbaijan resorts to aggression, Armenia will be left with no choice but to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, its legal status and to strengthen its ability to ensure security to its people,” RIA Novosti quoted the president as saying.
The Armenian president thinks Baku shows no interest in settlement of Karabakh conflict.
He is convinced that any solution should be based on Karabakhi people’s will.
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.
Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.
Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.
Since 1992, talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. -0-
