To recognize or not to recognize the NKR

For Ter-Petrossian himself, it is hard to decide

 First president of the RA and leader of the Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrossian in the interview given to the Moscow News newspaper, referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic recognition and why Armenia did not recognize Karabakh, stated, “This issue is out of the circles of subjective desires. All three presidents of Armenia have not recognized Karabakh. It means that there is an objective reason. They say that they are patriots that they are for Karabakh, do they not? They could blame me that I did not recognize, because I was a traitor. I am happy that they are smart enough not to take such a careless step. First, that will not do any good. Armenia would be the only country that recognized Karabakh, as only Turkey recognized North Cyprus. Turkey was not harmed and Armenia might not be harmed by that formal ostentatious move. It will confirm that Armenia is maximalist it does not go for compromise. The whole Karabakh policy, at least on the words’ level, thus far has been based on the fact that we seek for a compromise. Recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh, we would give in that principle, at the same instant, the negotiations would stop. At the same instant a situation of not having other alternative, but using force would appear for Azerbaijan. And in that case, I assure you, the international community’s sympathy would be on Azerbaijan’s side.”

The ANC shares Levon Ter-Petrossian’s position too. Perhaps it is normal and natural, but it is obscure and at least strange when the Congress members agree on the absolutely opposite position with the same warmth, but only if it is voiced in Levon Ter-Petrossian’s speech and believe me such a thing occurred in not so distant past.

Thus, on October 17 2008 in his long speech at the ANC rally (https://www.levonpresident.am/?catID=20&contID=377) referring to the same issue, L. Ter-Petrossian was stating, “Taking into account the worrisome factor that after recognizing the independence of Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Osetia, the Karabakh issue is, to some extent, out of the general process of the frozen conflicts settlement, perhaps it is time to think of the National Assembly to make an initiative of recognizing the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. Serzh Sargsyan must not be forced to respond to that initiative, but on one hand having the parliament’s decision and on the other hand suspending its ratification he will have big possibilities to oppose and avoid the exterior pressures in the upcoming negotiations. The situation, being unusual, needs unusual moves, diplomatic miracles and a stretch of imagination.” Certainly, it is clear that the voiced approach, according to Ter-Petrossian, would be just a diplomatic trick, but it could not be a solution to the problem. Because the Armenian legislature just does not make it possible to suspend the bills passed by the NA for months and years and serve those “hot” at the appropriate time; the president of the RA must ratify a bill passed by the NA or return it with remarks to the parliament within 21 days’ term. However, even in this case the question is open why the same trick could not be used during Ter-Petrossian’s own presidency when it came to “a critical point” or in the period after this speech of his in 2008, when the Heritage Party made such an initiative. Let us remind that in response to such initiatives, the ANC undoubtedly stated that it could only hinder the NK conflict settlement negotiations and present a threat of starting a war by the Azerbaijani side, while Ter-Petrossian himself offered something like this, as a possible solution.