Sep 24, 2008

Abkhazia: Armenia Can't Recognize Abkhazia before Karabakh


Active ImageArmenia declared that the recognition of Abkhazia’s independence will depend on the future of Karabakh.

Below is an article published by the Huliq News :

The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has declared that “the right of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination should be recognized.”

President Sargsyan said during his recent meeting with foreign media that it may seem strange that having always backed the right for self-determination, Armenia has not recognized Kosovo, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

“Our approach is simple. We have a similar problem – the Nagorno Karabakh issue. We cannot recognize Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Ossetia until we recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh.”

“One of the reasons is that today our country is negotiating with Azerbaijan, and Armenia wishes to reach the solution of the issue through peace talks,” the President noted. Serzh Sargsyan reminded that in case of Kosovo and others, recognition was believed to be the last means. “If no other means remains, Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh,” he added.

Asked what the limit of concessions is, the red line which Armenia will never cross, President Sargsyan responded that Armenia declared about that red line 14 years ago when it was signing a truce and several times after it. “The line is that the right of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination should be respected,” Serzh Sargsyan said.