ROBERT KOCHARIAN: KARABAKH SETTLEMENT SHOULD NOT BASE ON PRECONDITIONS OF POSSIBLE STRENGTHENING OF AZERBAIJAN DUE TO OIL DOLLARS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should proceed from the essence of the problem and not the preconditions of possible strengthening of Azerbaijan due to future oil dollars, Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated when addressing the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe June 23. In his words, it is the formula of confrontation, not the one of compromise. The Armenian leader again confirmed the country readiness to sustain and strengthen the cease-fire regime and hold serious talks on comprehensive solution of the conflict. In R. Kocharian's opinion, for the search for a long-term solution to be productive, deep knowledge of the conflict is necessary. Thereupon he marked out two factors, which characterize the Karabakh conflict. First the president noted that Nagorno Karabakh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan. As an outcome of the collapse of the USSR, in his words, two independent states were formed within the territory of the former Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic - the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Azerbaijani Republic, which have equal legal grounds for existence. That is Azerbaijan has nothing in common with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. "We are ready to discuss the issue of the conflict settlement within the legal framework," he said. As the second factor the Armenian leader pointed out that the war in 1992-1994 resulted from the aggression of the Azeri authorities, by means of which they were trying to realize ethnic cleansing in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh with the purpose of seizing it. "The de-facto situation - is a result of the struggle of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh for the right to live in their own land. This is a classical example of realization of the right of self-determination, as well as grounding of ethnic cleansing by means of the principle of territorial integrity. The Karabakh people have defended their right for free life in a democratic society," the Armenian President stated.