Such settlement is inadmissible
"The updated Madrid principles are inadmissible for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation as they don't derive from and reflect the conflict essence. Rather, they distort the whole process of the conflict emergence and escalation," says Armen Rustamian, ARF Supreme Council representative, Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
"Our first and foremost task is to settle the NKR conflict and security issues. Other issues can be addressed later. But today we are speaking of some interim status and a system of self-determination which do not stem from the essence of the main conflict".
Armen Rustamian says no agreement on the conflict will be considered as valid unless it is signed by Nagorno Karabakh. "Karabakh mustn't be left out of the negotiations. The mediators used to say that Nagorno Karabakh would be involved in the negotiations after the key principles were agreed upon. But if the agreement is reached in this way, the end is quite obvious. Karabakh must participate in the agreement of key principles. Hence, the document will not have a legal force unless it is signed by Karabakh.
Furthermore, Armenia is not empowered to replace Karabakh during the discussion of the issue: Armenia is a conflicting side and should guarantee Karabakh's security and safety. Signing the document Armenia determines Karabakh's future without the latter's participation. This is really inadmissible."
