EAST TIMOR – EXEMPLARY CASE OF REALIZATION OF PEOPLES RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION TO SETTLE A CONFLICT, ARMENIAN DEPUTY FM SUPPOSES

International recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh people’s right to self-determination is the most direct path to a comprehensive solution of this conflict, to the establishment of a lasting peace in the region and of normal relations between the two peoples. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Tatul Margarian when asked by De Facto agency to comment on the parallels Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov drew between East Timor and Nagorno Karabakh. In T. Margarian’s opinion, it is an exemplary case of a resolution of a protracted conflict through recognition and realization of a people’s right to self-determination. In his words, within the latest decade, this version has been chosen not only in the case of East Timor, but also for Northern Ireland, Quebec, Southern Sudan, Serbia and Montenegro, Puerto Rico and other conflicts. All these examples confirm, the minister stated, that Azerbaijan’s recognition of the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh for choice in no way should be interpreted as a loss of national dignity of the Azeri people. Moreover, this is exactly the way towards development and prosperity for the two nations, he supposes. As of the thesis proposed by the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister that the format of negotiations must be broadened, in order to include “Armenians and Azeris of Nagorno Karabakh” in the process, in T. Margarian’s opinion, participation of Nagorno Karabakh in the OSCE Minsk process is not subject to discussion. It is not new that the parties to the conflict are Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. This is fixed in a range of OSCE documents, particularly the OSCE Helsinki 1992 Ministerial Council, the OSCE Budapest Summit 1994 Document, as well as in the decisions of the OSCE Senior Council of 31 March 1995, he said. As regards the participation of the Azeri community of Nagorno Karabakh, the Deputy Minister said their involvement is possible within the framework of issues that directly concern them.