The
president of Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsian says.-How do
you mark the declarations of the U.S. embassy and earlier the U.S. assistant secretary
Elizabeth Jones about considering Karabakh as a territory of so called corruption
and criminal separatists?-The U.S. leadership affirmed once more its principle
position on all those issues, which produces its foreign policy. The U.S. said
by its declaration that it considered important the straggle against corruption,
the establishment of democracy and it doesn’t matter that the Armenian authorities
pleased the U.S. and sent military forces to Iraq. And the leadership of Armenia
got what it deserved. I consider the process of Karabakh issue fully failed. Three
circumstances prove that failure. The authorities produced as an argument that
if we send military forces to Iraq the U.S. position on Karabakh issue will be
more affective. Here the answer which was sound by the U.S. embassy and by the
U.S. assistant secretary before. And then Atkinson’s report will be discussed
in Strasbourg in some days where it is mentioned that the Karabakh issue is only
a territorial controversy between Azerbaijan and Armenia, that means Karabakh
is out of the process as a subject. This means we must discuss the known position
of the League of Nations in 1918, which was unacceptable for Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh
got out from Azerbaijan considering as a basis the law of the Soviet Union accepted
on 3 April 1990. The republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is like a subject, which is
corrupted, and there are separatists. Here to what Mr. R. Kocharian got by its
carried policy. – Whether the U.S. is going to put pressure upon Russia giving
to understand that it becomes the main performer in this region?- It doesn’t
matter what relations those two superpowers specify. It is important for us how
it will affect on the interests of Armenia. That means if Armenia had its own,
certain position no country could put any pressure upon us. They all are cochairmen
on Karabakh issue. These U.S. declarations I can direct to Russia or France. Why
must Russia be interested and the U.S. not, both are in the same position. It
is much more important the attitudes towards the Armenian authorities. Let the
Armenian authorities decide what has it done and what answer will it give?-
But there are also positive opinions about sending military forces to Iraq.-
The opinions may be different but the reality is unique. The joke of the previous
day when our military men were living to Iraq by music is simply shameful. If
they send military forces to Karabakh to defend our lands I’d understand it but
I don’t understand sending military forces to a country which is in the war, defends
its own independence and own interests. Even if they don’t know what will happen
with them. Obvious anti-Armenian moods are already noticed in the Arabic Emirates,
Lebanon and Syria. The authorities must be responsible for this.- What do
you expect from the OSCE experts visit to so-called "occupied territories",
will that observing mission serve for us as some politicians try to perform?-
The general context is the same. If only the monitoring group was it was worth
to discuss it. But Tigran Torosian’s declaration that the report of Terry Davis
won’t have juridical influence wasn’t true. And now David Atkinson’s report which
our delegates must to prevent not to be accepted. It is impossible. Changing the
principle formulating is also impossible as it is accepted by Terry Davis. I’m
simply astonished on the logic of these authorities that they will produce Shahumian
and Getashen to the observing group. This is nonsense indeed because what must
be watched in this region isn’t comparable with the problems of those territories.
So it will also may have grave consequences. The most important problem is that
the issue is observed as a territorial controversy between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
I don’t imagine more difficult situation.- Anyway the politicians of the opposition
also declares that Karabakh is that unique issue they are ready to negotiate for
it without preconditions. – We’ll be agree only in that case when we’ll see
that serious and right steps are done. What must we agree with if our suggestions
haven’t been accepted? We’ll defend our principle position.Interview
by Margaret Yesayan