Armenia will not allow any violation against NKR

PanARMENIAN.Net - By itself, the Munich meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the absence of full information on the negotiation processes, was discussed in the society at the level of suppositions. Certain conclusions were made on the basis of indirect statements and comments of representatives of the presidential administration or of the OSCE Minsk Group taciturn co-chairs, who spoke of the regular progress in the negotiations. The Munich meeting was welcomed also by the Foreign Minister of Armenia. "I cannot say that talks between the Presidents were smooth, but there was certain progress and the parties were able to preserve the positive trends instituted during the past eight meetings between the Presidents," Minister Edward Nalbandyan told journalists while in Rome.

Her disagreement with the statements on certain progress voiced Secretary of the Heritage parliamentary faction Larisa Alaverdyan. "I do not understand what progress can we speak of, if after a 4-hour meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Munich, the parties contented themselves only with a statement that really says nothing," Alaverdyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "Real negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement will start when Artsakh itself engages in the negotiation process," the Secretary believes.

In the Armenian political establishment and in the public, great resonance was caused by the statement of President Ilham Aliyev on the military settlement of Karabakh conflict, in case the Munich meeting proved to be a failure. As early as Monday, November 23, President's Spokesman Samvel Farmanyan struck the first counter blow on Aliyev's statements, saying such a statement once again proved the destructive position of Azerbaijan, and Armenia couldn't be indifferent to the fate of the Nagorno-Karabakh people. Farmanyan stressed "Armenia has not yet recognized the NKR independence only as not to impede the peaceful talks. However, if hostilities should resume, nothing will keep Yerevan from recognizing the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic". He also noted that Armenia could sign a mutual aid pact with Nagorno Karabakh, with all the subsequent consequences of the agreement.

RA President's Spokesman also had to deny Baku's statements, according to which Armenian and Azeri Presidents' discussion in Munich had allegedly focused on Armenian forces' withdrawal from Kelbajar, a factor that might enable Turkey to ratify the Protocols on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. Farmanyan called them regular misinformation spread by Baku.

In an interview to PanARMENIAN.Net her assumption about the meeting in Munich expressed Naira Zohrabyan, Deputy of the coalition government parliamentary faction of the party "Prosperous Armenia". She stated that "Presently the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan are discussing only the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh status" and denied the information that, allegedly, the parties have reached an agreement on the return of some regions around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Quite skeptical about the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' statements was Leader of ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary faction Vahan Hovhannisyan. "The Co-Chairs' statements on the progress registered during the negotiations are untrustworthy because they are mutually exclusive," the MP stressed. "It is impossible to discuss only the problem of the status of Artsakh for four hours. I am convinced that during the talks Azerbaijan also raised the issue of adjacent territories around Nagorno-Karabakh," emphasized Hovhannisyan. "Aliyev's ultimatum prevents any possibility of peace talks on Karabakh conflict settlement. His bellicose statement put paid to the Meindorf Declaration, since the President openly declared about Azerbaijan's readiness to use force, while the declaration stipulated exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict.

CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, who was on an official visit in Yerevan, reiterated his negative attitude towards any statement on military resolution of conflicts. "I negatively treat any statements on the possibility of war," said the CSTO Secretary General at a press conference in Yerevan, commenting on the bellicose statements of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"It's time Armenian diplomacy not only made adequate responses to Azeri President's military statements but also took measures in that direction," Chairman of "European Integration" NGO Karen Bekaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to him, international community should set deadlines to Azerbaijan's bellicose statements.

According to Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan, the meeting in Munich did not affect the negotiating process at all. "Resolution of the Karabakh conflict is not in sight in the coming months and even years," the political scientist believes.

In mid-week the Constitutional Court of Armenia finally appointed the judge to deal with the Armenian-Turkish Protocols. Study of the Protocols is entrusted to Judge Vladimir Hovhannisyan, who within 15 days is to submit his conclusion to the Chairman of the Constitutional Court on whether the document complies with the RA Constitution or not.

As Chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsyan declared at a press conference in Yerevan, "Representatives of ARFD, "Heritage" and "New Times" parties will be participating in the meeting, where a joint statement on the Protocol of the Armenian-Turkish relations is to be issued." "We oppose ratification of these protocols and are going to take action to prevent it," declared Sargsyan.

On November 26 the Armenian government approved the proposal to sing an Armenian-French agreement on defense cooperation. In the words of Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, "This document makes provision for cooperation in different fields, particularly management of armed forces and military personnel, as well as information protection mechanisms."

At the end of the week, on November 27, a military delegation led by Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich arrived in Armenia. Prior to that, the Polish Minister had paid visits to Baku and Tbilisi.

Last week the political life was completed by the 12th congress of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. As Spokesman for the Republican Party Eduard Sharmazanov informed the reporters, the party's charter was to undergo certain changes. Such as, no longer the RPA political council members are to be elected during the party's congresses. "Instead, party members being high up in the civil service will henceforth form the RPA political council," declared Sharmazanov, adding that PM Tigran Sargsyan and Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan will undoubtedly be elected to the council.

At the congress acting president of Armenia, Leader of the Republican Party Serzh Sargsyan made a statement, thoroughly discussing the issues of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement and settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Serzh Sargsyan noted that if the Turkish side delayed the process of ratification, Armenia, in accordance with international standards, would take adequate measures. President of Armenia reiterated that normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations does not imply denial of the Armenian Genocide. According to Serzh Sargsyan, just on the contrary, it would help to achieve recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey itself.

Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian President said Armenia would not allow any violation against NKR and would confront it by severest methods.

Discussing the inner political life of the country, President Sargsyan noted that it was time to develop political culture in the country. "In order to have a stable system in the country, first and foremost, you need to have a stable inner-party system. The ruling party must serve as an example for others in this regard," said the President. According to him, under political stability the freedom of thought is meant.