RA President: Unilateral concessions in Karabakh settlement only deepen existing dangers

March 23, 2010 - 19:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Unilateral concessions in the Karabakh settlement will only deepen the existing dangers and threats, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to the Syrian Al-Watan newspaper.

"Contrary to the claims of Azerbaijan, we do not populate and use the territories, which are the security zone of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"When the people of Nagorno Karabakh get a real opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination and when working instruments of security and development are created, then Armenia may consider the return of security zone regions around NKR as a mutual concession, preserving the corridor linking Armenia to Karabakh," Serge Sargsyan said, adding that he has repeatedly stated this.

According to the President of Armenia, the key idea of "mutual concessions" is reciprocity.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.