KARABAKH CAN NEVER BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN, AS IT IS EVIDENT NO ARMENIANS WILL BE LEFT IN KARABAKH IN THAT CASE

Official Yerevan has never concealed its conditions for settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Secretary of the National Security Council under the Armenian President, Defense Minister of Armenia Serge Sargsian stated in the course of an on-line interview at Yerkir weekly Internet site. In his words, first, Karabakh can never be part of Azerbaijan, as it is evident that in that case no single Armenian will be left in Karabakh. Second, Karabakh and Armenia should have a common land border due to the simple reason that under enclave condition Karabakh cannot exist. Third, serious guarantees of security for Karabakh or non-resumption of the war should be available, as by losing or ceding the security zone both Karabakh and Armenia become vulnerable from the military point of view, the Minister explained. Speaking of Azerbaijan providing security guarantees of common life of the Armenian and Azeri communities, Serge Sargsian noted “unfortunately, in the course of the history we became to know those guarantees, which the Azeri party can provide.” Guarantees that were much more serious and were provided for by the USSR Constitution, did not prevent forcing out Armenian population from Nakhijevan and rapidly increase the number of Azeris in Nagorno Karabakh. “Which guarantees we are speaking about, if today the Azeri Parliament will be giving them? I advise to become acquainted with an exclusively frank interview with former Azeri President Haydar Aliyev of July 22, 2002. In the interview, taken place in the Presidential Palace and in which heads of leading media of Azerbaijan took part, Heydar Aliyev stated in detail how being the leader of Soviet Azerbaijan he did not spare efforts to Azerbaijanize Nagorno Karabakh. So, one should speak not of guarantees here,” the head of the defense department of Armenia noted. In his words, the issue should be decided in a fair manner, after which equal and normal relations will be established. “We are neighbors and one cannot change neighbors. None of us can go away from here. When the consciousness of justice and equality prevails, then normal relations between our peoples will be restored,” he summed up.