September 18, 2007 - 15:42 AMT
Yerevan's recognition of NKR will allow Baku to brand Armenia aggressor
Heritage party's initiative on NKR recognition by Armenia is nothing but a populist move, Armenian political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"The party leader, Raffi Hovannisian did not make statements of the kind at the post of Foreign Minister in 1991. Armenia's recognition Nagorno Karabakh's independence will allow Azerbaijan to brand Armenia as aggressor," he said.

Armenia and Karabakh should jointly work for recognition of NKR by third states, according to him.

As to the terms of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Mr Melik-Shahnazaryan said, "In 10-15 years Europe will lose interest in Azerbaijan as a supplier of energy sources and then strong Armenia can make the international community reckon with it," he underscored.

On 28 August Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian introduced in the Armenian National Assembly a draft bill "On recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic."