Bako Sahakian: Reasonable, Correct and Equivalent Concessions Needed in Conflict Settlement

STEPANAKERT — Bako Sahakian, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), stated that a new phase will start in the conflict settlement if Azerbaijan shows respect for the ceasefire agreement signed in 1994 and NKR returns to the negotiation table, as well as when the psychological obstacles stemming from Azerbaijan’s revanchist policy are overcome.

“Reasonable, correct and equivalent concessions are needed and we are prepared for [mutual] concessions if they do not disturb our country’s security, if they are not creating opportunities for our adversary to launch new attacks against us,” Sahakian said in an interview with the online newspaper of the French Parliament.

According to Sahakian, Azerbaijan must be able to abandon its xenophobic policy against Karabakh and Armenia, as well as its shortfall adventurism, committing itself to respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of other people.

“Azerbaijan should be able to give up its chauvinistic policy towards the Armenians of Karabakh and its futile gamble and commit itself to respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of other peoples,” the Karabakh leader stressed.

In the interview, Sahakian expressed his conviction that the international recognition of the Karabakh’s independence from Azerbaijan will continue in the near future and will be more successful than before, which, according to him, will have a positive impact on stability in the South Caucasus. He stated that the right to self-determination is one of the fundamental principles of international law. “But this right becomes a necessary obligation when the state it is annexed to has no wish but to eliminate those people.” Sahakian concluded.

Since 2012, seven American states, one Australian state and the parliament of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain have passed bills and motions in favor of Karabakh’s independence from Azerbaijan.