Politician: Armenian-Turkish border blockade lifting can spur Karabakh conflict settlement
YEREVAN, October 2. /ARKA/. Armenian-Turkish border blockade lifting would spur Karabakh conflict settlement, Armenian Christian-Democratic Party leader Khosrov Harutyunyan said.
“Armenia should view Armenian-Turkish border opening as top-priority objective, since it will reduce Karabakh problem’s geopolitical significance”, he said.
He said Armenia has a real chance to solve this problem by itself.
Harutyunyan said Turkey is OSCE Minsk Group member, but takes steps against another member – Armenia. He wonders why Armenian diplomats refrain from expressing their protest in international organizations.
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988, when Armenians-populated Nagorno Karabakh declared secession from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, just a few days before Soviet Union collapse, a referendum was conducted in Nagorno Karabakh with international observers’ presence. At this referendum, 99.89% of population voted for independence.
Responding to that, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale war against Nagorno Karabakh. The military offensives were stopped after a cease-fire agreement was signed in May 12, 1994. The agreement is observed also now, and talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan are under way. The negotiations mediated by OSCE Minsk Group are being held without Karabakh’s participation .-0---
