STEPANAKERT — The settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the solution of the border issue between the two countries, cannot and should not be tied to the status of the Artsakh Republic, Artsakh’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The comments come in response to various discussions and opinions regarding the status of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic that have intensified again, “which is an objective process, taking into account the key nature of this issue in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process.”
“Official Stepanakert welcomes any steps aimed at peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, as well as settling the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh is authorized to state that the official stance of the people and the authorities of Artsakh remains unchangeable,” the Ministry said, reiterating that “Artsakh will not be a part of Azerbaijan.”
“The territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan has no relation to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and its status, which has been determined by the people of our country in full and strict compliance with the norms and principles of international law and the then acting Soviet legislation,” the Foreign Ministry said.
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It is strange that the mantra “Artsakh Will Not Be a part of Azerbaijan” is repeatedly mentioned by Artsakh authorities and the “official” opposition in Armenia, without specifying or underlining that Artsakh will never renounce it’s independence. Never wanting to be part of Azerbaijna has a natural connotation that may be interpreted as wanting instead to be part of another entity. Why not go ahead and say it out loud what are the options for Artsakh, what does Artsakh indeed want. Could it be that Armenia is one of the options that Artsakh wants to be part of? if not, then what other entity might there be for Artsakh to want to be part of??? To say “I want this” is much clearer than to say “I don’t want that”. In repeating the above mantra one gets the impression that the Kremlin is quite content for Artsakh NOT wanting to be part of Azerbaijan.