Hearings are held in Nagorno Karabakh National Assembly called “Nagorno Karabakh problem: Prospects for Settlement.”
Apart from members of the National Assembly, a parliamentary delegation from Armenia headed by Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly External Affairs Commission Armen Rustamyan, a number of Armenian political analysts and experts, representative of Nagorno Karabakh private sector also participate in the hearings.
Addressing the audience with an opening speech, Speaker of the NKR Parliament Ashot Gulyan stressed that Artsakh (historic name of Nagorno Karabakh) has been and is in the focus of attention of Armenians of the world. According to Gulyan, the hearings will be important premises for holding similar discussions on key issues of the Karabakh settlement.
“For NKR people and authorities, results of the referendum are a reference point for solving the problem, in accordance with which Armenians of Artsakh have unambiguously said ‘yes’ to the idea of independence, taking as their strategy establishing an independent statehood. Naturally, activities of the whole political system, including NKR National Assembly, are aimed at it,” Ashot Gulyan said.
Nagorno Karabakh Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan noted that disrespect for rights of Nagorno Karabakh people is in the basis of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In this connection, he stressed that after Karabakh people announced their right for self-determination, this political claim was transformed into ethnic purge by Azerbaijan. At the same time, the minister noted that “for NKR independence is not an end in itself, but an opportunity to live and develop in their own territory.”
Georgy Pterosyan noted that in case the political process does not take into account rights of the people, a clash of interests of the parties occurs. The minister stressed that Baku practically switched the issue from political angle to a military confrontation. He expressed regret that mediators ignore results of the Nagorno Karabakh referendum on its independence.
The minister spoke for signing an agreement rejecting use of force by the conflicting parties. Answering questions of participants of the panel, the minister said that Karabakh keeps being informed about talks between leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Armenian president informs about them the president of Nagorno Karabakh. At the same time, Georgy Petrosyan stressed that “it does not mean that Karabakh agrees on all positions.” The minister also noted that “the Karabakh card” should not suit only private or corporate ends.
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