Lisbon declaration not defeat of Armenia, Babukhanyan says

PanARMENIAN.Net - The declaration adopted by the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Lisbon was not a defeat of the Armenian side, according to Hayk Babukhanyan, chairman of Constitutional Right Union.

“The CRU welcomed Armenian President’s decision not to participate in the NATO summit in Lisbon,” Babukhanyan said when responding to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter’s question during a press conference in Yerevan.

“NATO has repeatedly confirmed its support to the OSCE Minsk Group, which fixed the right of nations to self-determination as one of the three basic principles of conflict resolution,” he said.

Article 35 of the Lisbon declaration reads: "With our vision of a Euro-Atlantic area at peace, the persistence of protracted regional conflicts in South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova continues to be a matter of great concern for the Alliance. We urge all parties to engage constructively and with reinforced political will in peaceful conflict resolution, and to respect the current negotiation formats. We call on them all to avoid steps that undermine regional security and stability. We remain committed in our support of the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, and will also continue to support efforts towards a peaceful settlement of these regional conflicts, taking into account these principles.”