'Meghri option' never considered for Karabakh settlement

PanARMENIAN.Net - During past 10 years, the OSCE Minsk Group submitted 3 formal proposals on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, RA President Robert Kocharian told Armenian TV channels.



"The idea of a common state was put forth by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevgeni Primakov in 1998. Another package was submitted at the Key West meeting in 2001. And, finally, the latest document came up a month ago. Neither of the above-mentioned proposals included the 'Meghri option', which was generated by U.S. political scientist Paul Goble. This idea was never eyed as an official proposal and was discussed with representatives of one of MG chair states only," President Kocharian said.



"The proposal was rejected both by Armenia and Azerbaijan. We could not lose the border with Iran. Meghri was mentioned at the Key West talks in the context of communications and was never referred to as a territory for swap," he added.



"Plenty of projects were launched in Meghri. Talks on railway and oil processing plant construction are held. All this is done to prevent "friendly politicians" from sacrificing the border with Iran," the President resumed.



During a rally, ex-President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan claimed that "Kocharian was planning to sign an agreement providing for resolution of the Karabakh conflict through ceding Armenia's southernmost Meghri district in exchange for formal international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh as part of Armenia."