Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, speaking with the general director of the MIA Russia Today, said that Yerevan is ready to hold peace talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on the principles of territorial integrity of states and the equality of peoples, pointing to the need of finding a compromise on the Karabakh issue.
"There is, certainly, a decision, and we understand that it must rely upon mutual concessions. But this is not the case in which Armenia, Azerbaijan or Karabakh should turn out a winner. The three principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement were developed in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group: non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity of states, equality of peoples and their right to self-determination. Yerevan is ready to return to the negotiations with Baku, but only on the basis of these three principles," he stressed.
Explaining these words, the Armenian President stated bluntly that Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, adding that he sees no contradiction between the principle of territorial integrity and the right of peoples to self-determination. "The territorial integrity relates to the relations between states, and self-determination relates capitals and peoples, which live compactly in the civilized world. All problems are solved without the use of force, especially in their homeland. If we reject the principle of self-determination, then we should not leave the Soviet Union, it has happened on the basis of this principle," Sargsyan said.
At the same time he admitted that he was ready again to meet with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev only if this meeting would be useful for Yerevan. "We have never refused such meetings. Whether on the level of presidents or foreign ministers, or even on a working level. But we always want such meeting to be useful, to make progress. If we keep on meeting without any progress and see no implementation of the agreements reached, what is the use of having those meetings at all?" RIA Novosti cited him as saying.
As such "progress" in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sargsyan named the agreement allowing for an investigation into the ceasefire violations, which Yerevan is ready to sign within the shortest possible timeframes. "We want the co-chairs and the international community to really know who is responsible for violating the truce," the President of Armenia explained.
After that Yerevan is ready to return to the settlement of the conflict. "Namely, the Armenian side, that is Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, leave the territories of which the Azerbaijanis say they are occupied. The first item clearly says that the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh will be decided by the free will of the people of Nagorno Karabakh. This free will is legally binding. That is, a referendum. It was the epitome of self-determination," Serzh Sargsyan stressedd, adding that it is impossible so far, because "there is zero trust between the parties" after the April fighting in Karabakh.
On the night of April 2 all Azerbaijan’s border line positions were subject to heavy fire from large-caliber artillery, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, densely populated Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, were also shelled.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
