“THE RA HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SECURITY GUARANTEE FOR THE NKR”

Support A1+!

“We have never been the first to violate the cease - fire regime. We only respond in order to prevent them,” the RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan announced in the press conference after the finish of the NKR 2006 military trainings.

While speaking of the Karabakh conflict settlement and the possibility of involving NK into the procedure as a direct participant he said, “We wish NKR to become a participant but I don’t think the parameters will change in close future. Everything happens not the way we wish and I see no problem on this score.” The Minister advised not to connect the conflict settlement with the visit of this or that side’s president to a certain country. As for Ilhalm Aliev’s visit to Washington he said, “There is no need to give sensational assessments. Elections were held in Azerbaijan, Ilhalm Aliev became the president and it is quite natural that he must hold meetings with the leaders of other countries. Of course, the meetings with the US President are essential for each country and I am sure that the US President will persuade Ilhalm Aliev to settle the conflict in a peaceful way.”

The OSCE Minsk group French co-chair Bernard Fassier expressed his concern in his last visit to Yerevan about the delay of the conflict settlement by the sides in question. He remarked that the two presidents meeting will be held in case they agree upon certain issues. It became evident from his words that he was unaware of the details of the Karabakh conflict. In this connection Serge Sargsyan said, “I believe that the member countries are involved in the conflict settlement and can regulate it. The RF, France and the USA could regulate the conflict even if they were not member countries.” Serge Sargsyan also urged that the separate visits of the co-chairs does not give ground to assume that their strategy towards the conflict settlement procedure has changed, “They separate visits to the region are closely connected with the health problems of the RF representative.”

At the end of the press conference Serge Sargsyan stated that the RA has always been the only security guarantee for the NKR, “The conflict cannot have other solution. The uproar on the NKR 2006 military trainings is in vain and even queer. Trainings are a normal military procedure. The army must always train and be in a good shape regardless of the fact we are adherents of peaceful settlement.”