ARKADY GHUKASYAN WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD DE FACTO
Support A1+!Leader of the ''National Democratic Party '' Shavarsh Kocharyan considers that Nagorno-Karabakh has made two important steps towards democratic maintenance. One of those steps was the adoption of the Constitution, by which the NKR concluded a vital development stage; the second one was the beginning of a new stage and new procedures. The NKR Constituion may be considered one of the best constitutions in the CIS.
''The international community is in a ridiculous state and announces that it does not recognize the NKR Constitution'', says Shavarsh Kocharyan, adding that recognizing or not recognizing a Constitution was absurd.
The other important factor, according to Shavarsh Kocharyan, was the fact that the functioning president having the opportunity to be nominated for the third period does not do accept the nomination.
After the amendments to the Constitution, Arkady Ghukasyan could run for presidency for the third time but he did not. ''Thus, he reestablished morality that was forgotten'', noticed Shavarsh Kocharyan.
Mr Kocharyan said he noticed many positive things during the presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh. For the first time a second serious candidate was nominated for the post of the president, namely Masis Mayilyan, who congratulated the elected president. Mr Kocharyan was amazed by this since that was not accepted in our political practice.
Shavarsh Kocharyan said one should envy the atmosphere in the NKR - no tension, no distrust. ''It was like a resting place, they came voted and left, people did not gather, no tensed atmosphere prevailed. People realized the importance of elections and were so calm'', said Shavarsh Kocharyan and told how the proxies of Masis Mayilyan and Bako Sahakyan followed the elections amicably.
And when the observers asked Shavarsh Kocharyan how it happened that even the opposition parties supported the candidature of Sahakyan, Kocharyan answered, that the NKR people realized the external menacing danger and did everything not to disrupt the public: ''Recognize the independence of that country, and you will see that the opposition will have its candidate'', Shavarsh Kocharyan ensured the foreign observers.
Shavarsh Kocharyan pointed out another peculiarity of the NKR political system. Since it is smaller both in size and the population is small, the principle of collective leading is functioning there. Thus, the former President Arkady Ghukasyan is well-aware of the negotiating process and will have a steering role in NKR governing activities.
NAGORNO-KARABAKH HIGHER THAN KOSOVO
Kosovo’s independence can serve as a precedent for recognizing Karabakh’s independence, Mr Kocharyan said and suggested Karabagh’s merits be more positively evaluated. Nagorno-Karabakh is in a better position than Kosovo since Kosovo is preserved by international peace-keeping troops while Nagorno-Karabakh protects everything with its own power. Thus, Karabakh proves that it can stand for its independence. Mr Kocharyan said Armenia's mistake was that it negotiated with
Azerbaijan instead of Karabakh, by shifting the problem of national self-determination into a territorial dispute.
One journalist noted that maybe the NKR president insisted on official Yerevan's involvement in negotiations. Shavarsh Kocharyan agreed with that point, but noted that Karabakh should participate in the negotiations as a subject, and Armenia should guarantee that.
