ARMAN MELIKIAN: “KARABAKH CONFLICT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE”
Support A1+!Former Advisor to the NKR President and presidential contender Arman Melikian, stated on December 24 he decided to run in the 2008 presidential elections after having witnessed an atmosphere of intolerance where nobody upholds his approach towards the resolution of the Karabakh issue.
Arman Melikian thinks there cannot be a compromise with regard to the Karabakh issue. The territories should not be surrendered he says. Melikian’s stance is close to that of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun because this party calls for tolerance in the race and is against the surrender of the territories. In this case, it is not clear why Arman Melikian has decided to run in the election instead of supporting the ARF Dashnaktsutiun.
Melikian says the answer is clear. According to him, the ARF Dashnaktsutiun has been in power for ten years and has failed to put down clearly their approach towards the territories. In this connection, Arman Melikian doubts that the ARF Dashnaktsutiun will oppose to the Government if the latter brings up the issue of surrendering the territories tomorrow.
As to the Karabakh conflict in general, Arman Melikian thinks the issue has a great international value because it is in the focus of the geopolitical interests. Everyone acknowledges it except for Armenia. If Armenia acknowledged its importance it would be more successful in the talks. Arman Melikian says the approaches of the former and present governments of Armenia on the Karabakh conflict have come closer. Nevertheless, both of them are inadmissible for him. The ex-adviser says Armenia needs a new government to push through the approaches proposed by him. The acting government has conducted a different policy over the past ten years and cannot pursue the line he proposes.
