NDU leader Vazgen Manukyan said yesterday that Prime Minister’s and former authorities’ approaches of the NK conflict settlement are the same.
The seminar organized by the “Armenian Center of Political and International Rresearches” was on NK Conflict settlement. The main speakers were special speaker on NK issue David Shahnazaryan and NDU leader Vazgen Manukyan. The speakers had opposite standpoints round NK issue, and weren\’t changed after the debate. D. Shahnazaryan divided the NK conflict settlement into two parts: before 1998 and after and he also stressed that the Armenian party has only failed since 1998. In this context he reminded about the NK isolation from the negotiations, the international instances\’ remarks about «occupant» Armenia, the lack of democracy and the rise of international loan of Azerbaijan connected with its oil factor and balanced foreign policy. In D. Shahnazaryan\’s opinion the only way of the NK conflict settlement is the «phase» version, according to which the issue of status isn\’t settled, and the rest of issues are settled: International community gives NK political and military guarantees of security instead of several territories. The communication ways are restored during that period. «If we insits on the NK status recognition, it\’s the same, as if we declare: no negotiations, we go to war».
NDU leader V. Manukyan declared that mutual concessions weren\’t avoidable. Anyway he excluded one of the possible concessions: «Karabagh independence has no concession. This is my standpoint». In Mr. Manukyan\’s opinion, it is meaning less to give several territories to Azerbaijan as the NK status isn’t clear yet and Azerbaijan hasn\’t agreed that the NK may become independent with the help of referendum: «Whatever we yield, we\’ll find ourselves in bad strategic conditions».
For NDU leader, this is the adoptable version for the NK conflict settlement: «To solve the problem of refugees of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabagh, however it is difficult, to discuss the problem of borders, territories, but there is a question, which is out of discussion: Karabakh\’s independence».
The speakers became debating after RA former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan\’s question addressed to V. Manukyan. The question was whether Mr. Manukyan was for any other territory return instead of NK independence.
«I\’m not the person who says no piece of land… I\’m a pragmatic person and know very well what I want. If you want to hear from me: let\’s give everything for NK independence, you won\’t hear. If you think that you can go for mutual concession without NK independence, I don\’t agree with it. I say unless Azerbaijan agrees with the NK independence all other issues are closed. But if hat problem is solved, you should overview the territories. There are different ways to negotiate here».
In David Shahnazaryan\’s opinion V. Manukyan\’s approach is the policy which Robert Kocharyan carries out. «Just this ahs isolated Armenia and leads it to the war», – D. Shahnazaryan noticed. Then the sharp debate was continued round internal political issues. V. Manukyan said: «Sorry, but this authority is closer to you than me. You have brought this authority. You brought Serge, Robert, and gave the authority to then in’98. Now, don’t speak about the authority.” After a hot debate and mutual accusations V. Manukyan added: “Now Serge Sargsyan wants to become the RA President. He is the bearer of the conception about of which you are speaking. He has declared for many times that we’ll return the liberated territories. What Serge Sargsyan declares you agree with it”?