Armenian parliament turns down Heritage’s motion on recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh

YEREVAN, November 12. / ARKA /. The Armenian parliament has turned down today a motion submitted by the Zharangutyun (Heritage) opposition party calling for formal recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). The motion titled "The concept of military and political foundations of the security of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) and the Republic of Armenia", was backed by eight lawmakers only. Artak Zakarian from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia said before the vote that his party’s faction would not participate in the voting ‘because the motion is not timely.” The motion had already been postponed by the majority of the parliament this past September for 2015 September, however, the Heritage faction declared it urgent and had it put on this session’s agenda. Zaruhi Postanjian from the Heritage party argued that Armenia should have recognized NKR as an independent state long time ago. ‘If Yerevan seeks the international recognition of NKR then Armenia as a subject of international law must itself do so for the security of NKR,” she said. Earlier parliament chairman Galust Sahakyan described Heritage’s motion as ‘provocation and political whim.” The motion is not supported by another opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) whose parliamentary faction head Levon Zurabyan said the recognition of NKR by Armenia would mean Armenia’s pullout from the talks and increasing the danger of renewed hostilities in the conflict zone and isolation of Armenia.” -0-