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AZERBAIJAN'S OK NOT NECESSARY FOR KARABAKH RECOGNITION
Aravot
www.asbarez.com/index.html?sho warticle=40927_3/27/2009_1
Friday March 27, 2009
YEREVAN (Aravot)--Azerbaijan's approval is not necessary for the
recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, based on international
precedents on such matters, said Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Political Director Giro Manoyan in an interview published Friday in
the Aravot newspaper.
"From the Karabakh issue perspective, what is interesting is that
the three co-chair states of the OSCE Minsk Group have recognized
the independence of this or that entity without securing the approval
of the countries of which they are a part," said Manoyan citing the
US and French recognition of Kosovo without garnering the approval
of Serbia and Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
without an agreement from Georgia.
"[By recognizing these entities] these three countries have gone on
record that the right to self-determination has far greater relevance
in international law and have effectively established that Karabakh
recognition does not require Azerbaijan's approval," explained Manoyan.
"These approaches cannot be ignored; I'm not saying that based on these
[precedents] we should have already attained everything, but we cannot
easily accept that Azerbaijan's approval is important," added Manoyan.
In his interview, which focused primarily on the aftermath of the
Russian-Georgian war last August, Manoyan emphasized that Armenia
has emerged as an important regional player following the conflict.
He explained that the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
presented Armenia with certain expectations from Russia, to which
Armenia could not agree. This had an impact on Russia, which
realized that Armenia is not a country that, at any given moment,
would make moves based on Russia's interests by ignoring its own
national interests.
Manoyan explained that this was a turning point in Russian-Armenian
relations, since the myth that Armenia will do whatever Russia asks
of it is waning and Russians realize that the interdependence between
Armenia and Russia is mutual.
As for the lessons of the August war, Manoyan said that the
Russian-Georgian conflict made it abundantly clear that wars, be they
with Armenia or between neighbors will have an impact on Armenia.
"We [Armenia] had no role in the Russia-Georgia war, but we did incur
as much economic damage as Georgia, because of Georgia's imprudent
policies," said Manoyan.
On the other hand, Manoyan expressed that Armenia must be more active
in its diplomacy and foreign relations.
"Being active does not mean to only visit Moscow and Tbilisi, but
Brussels too and attempt to present Armenia's positions, concerns and
expectations," elaborated Manoyan, adding that US And the European
Union are allocating billions of dollars in response to Georgia's
irresponsible behavior, while not allocating a penny for the losses
Armenia incurred as a result.
"It is obvious that it is a political decision, but, at one point, it
is also as a result of our [Armenia's] oversight that we have not been
able to vocally and effectively address our issues," added Manoyan.
Aravot
www.asbarez.com/index.html?sho warticle=40927_3/27/2009_1
Friday March 27, 2009
YEREVAN (Aravot)--Azerbaijan's approval is not necessary for the
recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, based on international
precedents on such matters, said Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Political Director Giro Manoyan in an interview published Friday in
the Aravot newspaper.
"From the Karabakh issue perspective, what is interesting is that
the three co-chair states of the OSCE Minsk Group have recognized
the independence of this or that entity without securing the approval
of the countries of which they are a part," said Manoyan citing the
US and French recognition of Kosovo without garnering the approval
of Serbia and Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
without an agreement from Georgia.
"[By recognizing these entities] these three countries have gone on
record that the right to self-determination has far greater relevance
in international law and have effectively established that Karabakh
recognition does not require Azerbaijan's approval," explained Manoyan.
"These approaches cannot be ignored; I'm not saying that based on these
[precedents] we should have already attained everything, but we cannot
easily accept that Azerbaijan's approval is important," added Manoyan.
In his interview, which focused primarily on the aftermath of the
Russian-Georgian war last August, Manoyan emphasized that Armenia
has emerged as an important regional player following the conflict.
He explained that the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
presented Armenia with certain expectations from Russia, to which
Armenia could not agree. This had an impact on Russia, which
realized that Armenia is not a country that, at any given moment,
would make moves based on Russia's interests by ignoring its own
national interests.
Manoyan explained that this was a turning point in Russian-Armenian
relations, since the myth that Armenia will do whatever Russia asks
of it is waning and Russians realize that the interdependence between
Armenia and Russia is mutual.
As for the lessons of the August war, Manoyan said that the
Russian-Georgian conflict made it abundantly clear that wars, be they
with Armenia or between neighbors will have an impact on Armenia.
"We [Armenia] had no role in the Russia-Georgia war, but we did incur
as much economic damage as Georgia, because of Georgia's imprudent
policies," said Manoyan.
On the other hand, Manoyan expressed that Armenia must be more active
in its diplomacy and foreign relations.
"Being active does not mean to only visit Moscow and Tbilisi, but
Brussels too and attempt to present Armenia's positions, concerns and
expectations," elaborated Manoyan, adding that US And the European
Union are allocating billions of dollars in response to Georgia's
irresponsible behavior, while not allocating a penny for the losses
Armenia incurred as a result.
"It is obvious that it is a political decision, but, at one point, it
is also as a result of our [Armenia's] oversight that we have not been
able to vocally and effectively address our issues," added Manoyan.