Armenian former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, who days ago announced his decision to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary elections in 2017, has issued a lengthy statement, presenting his views on regional security issues, specifically the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, which he sees as “crucial issue in itself for the Armenian people and the state”.
Ohanyan says Armenia should find a dignified peace formula to co-exist with its neighbors, including Azerbaijan, with all the state and people’s resources to be used for that end.
The former minister suggests a new formula of the country’s development and dignified peace in the view of the factors such as the permanent external threats, global and regional developments, various interests of the global power centers and the possibility of collision of those interest, as well as approaches of the regional states over joining different security systems.
“The Artsakh issues is not an impediment on the road of having a developing and a secure Armenia statehood, quite the opposite. The argument that Armenia may not develop without swift settlement of the Karabakh conflict is fundamentally erroneous and a consequence of genuine misperception. Not only is it far from the reality (in the course of the unresolved conflict, Armenia recorded double-digit economic growth and immigration), but also weakens Armenia’s posture in the settlement process,” reads a part of the statement.
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Ohanyan sees the country’s rapid development as a crucial precondition to resolve the Artsakh issue and reach a lasting peace, saying “unilateral concessions or hastily made compromises may not bring peace, rather increase the risk of renewal of the war”.
And while the former minister acknowledges the valuable mediation efforts by the Co-Chairing states of the Minsk Group, he views the key to the [Karabakh] settlement to stay in Yerevan and Stepanakert, that should find a settlement option with Baku. “The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is a full-fledged party to the conflict and should reach international recognition,” insists Ohanyan.
He next suggests Armenia should exist ‘the current trap of economic relations’ to ensure sustainable development with an atmosphere of tolerance and just competitiveness, true progress in all spheres of life to be established.
Seyran Ohanyan expresses his confidence that the Karabakh conflict can be solved through negotiations and peaceful means. “We can achieve mutual understanding with Azerbaijan and should work toward that end. It remains quite difficult to record tangible progress in the settlement process unless a mutual trust between the conflicting parties is established,” continued the former minister, adding mutual understanding may contain certain compromises based on solely military analysis and expert assessments of the military sphere.
“The scenarios of mutual concessions that are being considered today are illogical and unacceptable, especially when official Baku never speaks of compromises with its current aggressive stance, representing a threat to us,” said the former minister.
Ohanyan argues that mutual understanding will be possible once Azerbaijan refuses its aggressive expansionist ambitions, acknowledges the right of self-determination of the Artsakh Armenians and the existence of the Artsakh statehood.
“This is the formula of the peaceful co-existence of our two peoples,” concludes that statement.
