"The
border of our country is there till where we can keep,"- Serge Sargsian says.The
parliamentary hearings on "The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, ways of settlement"
theme were over yesterday. Here are the answers of the Minister of Defense to
the written questions.- Do you consider possible beginning the war and in
that case is our army, economy and state ready to resist?- I have mentioned
three principles, which are obligatory for settling the conflict. I have never
excluded the possibility of beginning of the war. Such a possibility always exists
and nobody is guaranteed from it. I don’t understand those politicians who declare
that there is no threat of war. It seemed those politicians have special services
and information what our enemy think about. It isn’t serious for me.- You
have mentioned as a concession the possibility of holding an additional referendum.
In that case isn’t it excluded the holding of the referendum after Azerbaijanis’
return to the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. Are the borders of the RNK and the
conflict in general determined?- No it isn’t so, as I said in my report that
the referendum would be adopted when it was held for the inhabitants of NK Autonomous
Region. What does determined borders mean, by whom they are determined by the
international community or by us?- You speak about the inevitability of yielding
any territory. Does it mean the honouring of commitments of the Minsk group?-
I haven’t spoken about mutual concessions since 2001; I have spoken about mutual
concessions since the beginning of ’90s. I have never honored the instructions
of Minsk group. I honour and have always honoured the instructions of my people.
If there are people who honour the instructions of other countries, it is their
problem I don’t have such a problem.- Why must we give our security to the
peacemakers and why must the ruling clique come to an agreement, which will be
harmful for the Armenians?- I have never said such a thing. I only think that
the peacemakers can play a serious role in keeping the security. But it doesn’t
mean we’ll disarm our army and won’t have the army any more by the peacemakers’
entrance to the conflict zone. As regards the harmful agreement, I have said that
the solution of the problem will be harmful for our and Azerbaijani peoples. As
mutual concession means to cede some of its territories. And nobody cedes anything
voluntarily. And it isn’t spoken of ceding any territory by the ruling clique
but by the people. I also want to reply to the gossips as if the ruling clique
has already come to an agreement and signed a document. It isn’t a behavior of
a serious man. Neither the President, nor the Minister of Defense and nor the
NA chairman all they all together can’t sign a document which is impossible to
realize and isn’t agreed with the Parliament, Government and the people. At least
how is it possible to solve that problem secretly?- You have said that Aghdam
isn’t our homeland. In that case where is our border there?- The borders of
each country are there till where they can keep. It is a known truth; I only repeat
the words of one of our famous ancestors. And if you want me to repeat once more,
yes, I consider that Aghdam isn’t our homeland.Margaret Yesayan