Chairman of Armenia Helsinki Committee, Avetik Ishkhanyan, thinks that if there is a question of recognition, the political majority in the face of the Republican Party should have raised this issue.
Yerevan officially sees the independence of Artsakh in the signing of the agreement on military cooperation between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in the first place, which was mentioned by the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan at the Security Council session on April 2 during the four-day war in April, by suggesting the respective agencies to prepare relevant documents.
To the question of what is going on with the documents, various government representatives in these days are answering that everything is underway, properly organized and will be presented when time comes. As to what is the time, they naturally do not know although are trying to say different cute things.
Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanyan, thinks that Armenia has at least twice missed the opportune moment to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. The first time was in 1991 when a referendum was conducted in Karabakh, then in 1994 when a ceasefire was signed, especially since there is a signature of Karabakh underneath the ceasefire agreement.
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According to the human right activist, the existence of this signature underneath the document speaks directly to the fact that the international community and Azerbaijan “indirectly recognized” the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. “At that time, however, the authorities of Armenia did not dare to do this and in my opinion, the moment was lost a long time. After the large-scale 4-days attack on April, I find it hard to say whether it was truly the time to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. Maybe it was the time, maybe the moment has not yet passed. But there is one important but: knowing Armenia’s domestic political life, generally in any state in such cases, the political majority take on the responsibility.
If there is a question of recognition, the political majority in the face of the Republican Party should have raised this question. In that case, naturally, Armenia’s political leadership headed by the President would have supported it,” said Avetik Ishkhanyan. In recent days, the issue of the recognition of NKR by Armenia was again the main subject for discussions as the opposition MPs Hrant Bagratyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan had submitted a draft on the “Recognition of the Artsakh Republic.” The Government approves its own conclusion, “The Government of Armenia calls forth the approval of the draft by the results of the discussions between Armenia and Artsakh, given the further developments, including the external factors.”
In this respect, Avetik Ishkhanyan notes, “I rule out the possibility that this government can express a good will and the question raised by the opposition can deserve a positive conclusion and passed by the Parliament. I think it is more likely that the question is put to the discussion in terms of the so-called an attempt of threat. But in my opinion, it would be quite funny. Eventually, for whom this attempt is done. If it is done for the domestic audience, there is absolutely no sense. For the external audience, everything is very clear.” The draft should be considered by the HQ Committee, the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations within 30 days. The NA Charter allows passing one of the three decisions: to include the draft to the agenda, to postpone or to reject.
It is noteworthy that yesterday, various figures representing the Republican Party were urging, in their interviews, Hrant Bagratyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan to withdraw the draft. “We have always mentioned that it is also due to further developments. I do not think that any Armenian man would be against the recognition of Artsakh’s independence but these factors are dominant. In other words, all this depends on the results of discussions between Armenia and Artsakh given further developments and external factors,” said the Chairman of the NA Committee on legal issues, Hovhannes Sahakyan. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries: the US and France, did not express an opinion regarding the discussion of the draft on recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh by the Government of Armenia but Russia did.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in his interview with РИА Новости, said that Yerevan has assured that the status of the region will not be decided unilaterally, “It is not Armenia to discuss it. It is the suggestion by the two members of the parliament. And the Government of Armenia must prepare a solution to the draft by their laws as they have explained to everyone by calming down the emotions. I would not have sounded an alarm and would not get into a panic.” Our interlocutor explains the public reaction by the Russian Foreign Minister with easing Azerbaijan’s unrest, “Azerbaijani perhaps is concerned, thinking that it is agreed with certain forces. I think Lavrov has made this statement to ease Azerbaijan’s unrest. But I do not think that what he said is not true and Lavrov would give inaccurate information about it. Hence, he was really assured. As for the other co-chairs, I think they do not take things seriously.”
To the observation of “Aravot” that this important and quite a delicate question for us which we had treated very cautiously and carefully for years, in fact, to put it mildly, became a broken money, Avetik Ishkhanyan replied, “I totally agree with your observation.” While yesterday, the NKR President’s spokesperson David Babayan welcomed the decision of the Government of Armenia to send the draft to the Parliament, saying that it is a very important step for the enhancement of peace and stability in the region, as well as to rehabilitate the process of negotiations that has appeared in a deadlock. Avetik Ishkhanyan is puzzled about all this and says that Armenia either recognizes Karabakh’s independence or not. There is no half-step, it is not serious.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
“Aravot” daily
