Armenia can't recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia before it recognizes Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - Europe should declare that one of the sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict undermines the peace process, the Armenian President said.



"In case with Kosovo the right of nations to self-determination was applied. However, Russia's similar step was given a hostile reception," Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.



At that he noted that Armenia has no right to recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia before it recognizes Nagorno Karabakh. "Recognition of independence is the last step in the process. We are not strong enough to recognize Karabakh unilaterally," he said.



Commenting on Armenia's cooperation with NATO, President Sargsyan said the republic does not intend to join the Alliance. "We are convinced that cooperation with NATO is a part of our security system. However, drawing new dividing lines in this region would be extremely dangerous. This is the lesson derived from the Georgian war. Our policy has always been to find a balance between U.S., Russian and NATO interests, although it seems attractive to get benefits from their opposition," he said.