April 28, 2008 - 19:31 AMT
RA MPs vote against inclusion of NKR recognition bill in agenda
On April 28, with a vote 15 to 64, Armenian MPs refused to introduce a bill "On recognition of Nagorno Karabakh Republic" submitted by Heritage party leader Raffi K. Hovannisian in the parliament's agenda.

According to independent deputy Viktor Dallakyan, this can mean that the Armenian parliamentarians stand against recognition of Nagorno Karabakh's independence.

For his part, chairman of the parliamentary committee on external relations Armen Rustamyan reminded that Armenia's foreign policy is determined by the President of the republic. He said his committee expected discussion of the issue in the presidential administration and the Foreign Ministry but it didn't happen.

According to Speaker Tigran Torosian, Armenia highlights international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh, since no one in Armenia would mind recognition of Karabakh at the republican level. "Everything is good in its season. If necessary, it will take us seven minutes to garner the essential votes to pass the bill," he said.

The NA also postponed discussion of the Speaker's draft statement "On the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement" which describes the right of Karabakhi people to self determination as 'indisputable and irreproachable from the standpoint of the international law,' IA Regnum reports.