November 20, 2007 - 17:36 AMT
RA MFA: Armenia's ultimate priority is Karabakh status determination
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said criticism of lack of progress in Karabakh talks is biased. "This is an extremely subjective assessment. If there is a person who can say something about the talks, it's me, since I am engaged in the process and receive direct instructions from the President," the Minister said in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia.

"The document at the table bases on the right of Karabakhi people to self-determination via a referendum. I rate it as success. We could not speak of self-determination some 10 years ago because we would be immediately condemned by the international community. Now we do speak openly. Moreover, this principle is fixed in documents. International mediators made it public," he said.

The Minister also refuted accusations of dragging out the settlement process. "When the idea of a joint state was proposed and the Key-West process started, we were ready to further develop the document and achieve an agreement. Presently, we approved a document that appeared as result of the Prague process. Armenia's ultimate priority is Karabakh status determination and we will not lower the standard," he said.