“Official Yerevan, Serzh Sargsyan, in the phone conversation with Putin has said more than should be said,” so estimated the Secretary General of “Heritage” party Styopa Safaryan, in the conversation with Aravot.am on March 20, referring to the President Serzh Sargsyan’s conversation with Vladimir Putin around the Crimean referendum. According to Mr. Safaryan, “In general, Armenia’s position should be what we call expression of will for self-determination, something that is consistent with the norms of international law. Karabakh’s self-determination is the very self-determination, because it is even talked about in the OSCE papers that were accepted prior to the referendum. No matter NKR’s independence is not so far recognized based on political expediency, however, no one doubts that the people of Karabakh have the right to self-determination. In the processes proceeding under the Minsk Group co-chairmanship, no one has doubted that the people of Karabakh have the right to self-determination. Therefore, recognizing its expression of will is because of the general situation and expediency. Having such a precedent, which is equal to international standards, indeed, was a haste to recognize the self-determination of Crimea. Crimea, I am sorry, was included in the composition of RF; it was not self-determination. The other side did not even have equal opportunities for campaign. In this tense military situation, one side just did what it wanted, moreover, under the careful supervision of Russian soldiers. Therefore, of course, it was a mistake from the Armenian side to make such a statement.” In the end of the official message notifying about Putin-Serzh Sargsyan telephone conversation, it says that the conversation took place by the initiative of Serzh Sargsyan. Styopa Safaryan does not believe it. “Obviously, it was not Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative. We understand that Russia will do its best to obtain as much supporters as possible in these days.” Mr. Safaryan also said that even if we accept and believe that it was Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative to call Putin, in any case he had broken the balance. “He anyway had said more to Putin than he should have said. Given the right to self-determination of Karabakh, of course, Armenia could not be against any other country’s self-determination, nevertheless, it was to be under the international law. Russia actions in Crimea was stubbornness. If we consider “how is strong, let him take” normal, we will lose because there are always an obstinate of all obstinate.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
