Matthew Bryza: so-called elections in Karabakh are illegitimate

Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions surrounding it remain part of Azerbaijan, so the so-called elections will not be recognized as carrying legal weight or constitute support, the former US Assistant Secretary for the South Caucasus, former US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Director of the International Center for Defense Studies in Tallinn, Matthew Bryza, said in an interview to Vestnik Kavkaza.

"No country, not even Armenia, recognizes the regime in Nagorno-Karabakh as sovereign. Moreover, according to international law, Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions surrounding it remain part of Azerbaijan. Thus, the September 13 elections cannot and will not be recognized as carrying legal weight or constitute support for claims by the de-facto authorities in Nagorno Karabakh of the region's sovereignty or its independence from Azerbaijan," Bryza expressed his confidence.

"Of course, if the basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement as defined by the so-called 'Madrid Document' are finalized, then the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh will acquire the legal right to elect their own authorities under mutually agreed legal conditions and even before the final legal status of the Nagorno-Karabakh is determined. It would be far better for all parties, especially the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, to focus on finalizing and agreeing on the Basic Principles rather than conducting controversial local elections," Matthew Bryza stressed.