A discussion on Artsakh conflict was organized in the Armenian Centre for National and International Studies. The director of the ACNIS, Manvel Sargsyan, spoke about the legal and political aspects of the status quo in Artsakh. According to him, “The whole world is talking about the fact that the status quo is dangerous, and it needs to be changed. No one goes deep into it to understand what results it might bring.” He said that the Minsk Group suggests changing the status quo. Some part of the area must be separated as Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region, and the rest belongs to Azerbaijan. If we manage to divide this area in this way, it will gain an international status.
For 25 years there has been no progress, since, first of all, Azerbaijan has been taking advantage of the most important fact, that the whole world recognized that area as a sovereign part of Azerbaijan.
Manvel Sargsyan said, that Azerbaijan pursues a policy not to allow any rights to anyone on the territory from generation to generation. “Armenia always says that in this or that condition it will recognize the independence of Karabakh, but it never does. There have been various cases, including the times when Artsakh was nearly destroyed, but we have a lot of facts about the fierce resistance of the authorities against recognition, even the NA president had almost resigned. Then Serzh Sargsyan started talking about recognition once a war would break out. The war started, but he did not recognize. It will never happen.”
According to Manvel Sargsyan, Azerbaijan must be deprived of its rights. As long as it has its rights, nothing will change. A taboo has been placed over 25 years, and it is not possible to develop any negotiations. “There is a situation that we may get involved in a war, where Azerbaijan has the right. April war was a good example. No one condemned Azerbaijan because Azerbaijan says, this is my territory. We need to think of ways to deprive Azerbaijan of those rights. Until this is done, we cannot change anything.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
