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Nagorno Karabakh Representative Briefs Harvard Community
on Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Resolution
PRESS RELEASE
December 17, 2001
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Representative of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic (NKR) in the United States Vardan Barseghian told
Harvard University students last week that the May 1994 cease-fire agreement
signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh was the major achievement
of the peace efforts aimed at the resolution of the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict to date.
On December 12, speaking to a negotiations class at
Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government (KSG) in Cambridge,
MA, Representative Barseghian said: "The cease-fire accord was
only made possible because all parties to the conflict were present
at the negotiating table and were willing to accept their part of the
responsibility for its implementation. This is the only formula that
can work and bring realistic agreements".
"Nagorno Karabagh has been effectively independent
for 10 years and I think it is important that we speak for ourselves
not only with different governments, but also with academic and research
institutions. We have welcomed this opportunity to appear before the
Harvard community," Barseghian said.
The briefing was an open event and interested students
and faculty from Harvard University and Tufts University's School of
Law and Diplomacy attended.
The Nagorno Karabagh Republic (NKR) declared its independence
following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1991-94 the people of
NKR successfully defended themselves from Azerbaijani aggression. Since
then, however, Azerbaijan has refused to negotiate with NKR directly
to finalize a peace agreement.
Massachusetts State Representative Peter J. Koutoujian,
who was present at the briefing, noted that "Nagorno Karabagh was
able to defend its people, democracy and independence at a time when
the international community was deaf to Nagorno Karabagh's plea for
help during the Azerbaijani military aggression. It is in the interest
of the democratic world to support the Nagorno Karabagh Republic."
Harvard Professor Keith Allred, who supported this
seminar, said it was a great opportunity for the students to learn about
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict directly from the people in the region.
He also thanked Representative Barseghian for an insightful and informative
presentation and a dynamic question-and-answer session.
His enthusiasm was echoed by several students. Harvard
student Mathieu Lefevre said, "This presentation gave us a first-hand
account of the issues at hand in this major international dispute. It
was very interesting to hear the perspective of the main people involved:
the people of Nagorno Karabagh. This was also a perfect case study for
our negotiation class."
"I recommend to other universities that study
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict to initiate this kind of briefing since
without the official Nagorno Karabagh's perspective the picture cannot
be complete", said Scott Talan, a student in the Kennedy School
of Government's Master of Public Administration program.
The Office of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic in the
United States is based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. Government,
academia and public, representing official policies and interests of
the Nagorno Karabagh Republic.
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