ARMENIAN PRESIDENT OPTIMISTIC ON POSSIBILITY OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT WITHIN NEXT FIVE YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net - I am rather optimistic that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be solved within the next five years. Armenian president Robert Kocharian said in an interview to the Public Television Company of Armenia. But it is not an issue on which anything can be unambiguously asserted or promised, he added. A peaceful settlement cannot depend only on the Armenian party, the president noted. In his words, one can speak of the final date of the settlement only in case Azerbaijan's agreement is available. At the same time Robert Kocharian noted that the solution should contain mutual compromises. Commenting on the opposition's accusations that Nagorno Karabakh was not presented as a party at the negotiations, the Armenian president suggested to ponder over why a proposal had been on the negotiation table five years ago, which had been refused by both Armenian parties and accepted by the Azeri party, while today vice versa there is a proposal accepted by the Armenian parties and refused by the Azeri one. In his words the reason is that the position of Armenia was vague at the time. "At the time Armenia said it would accept any solution that fits Nagorno Karabakh. An impression was formed that Armenia did not care which proposal it would be. And to put pressure on Nagorno Karabakh or Armenia which did not have its own stand and was ready to accept a solution unfavorable for our people in case of, so to say, pressure, was much easier," - Kocharian noted. In his words, the situation changed totally, when Armenia clearly stated that it was not indifferent, it had its own approach and was ready to assume the load connected with Nagorno Karabakh. The personality of Kocharian himself, which let represent both Armenian parties at the negotiations, contributed to that, the Armenian president noted. The international community is now dealing not with an unrecognized state and hesitating Armenia, but with an evident united position of the entire Armenian people - Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and the diaspora, Robert Kocharian noted.