Baku, Azerbaijan, May 6
By Anakhanum Hidayatova - Trend:
An attempt of recognizing the "independence" of Nagorno-Karabakh is another Armenian provocation, Arye Gut, Israeli expert on international relations and specialist on the South Caucasus, told Trend via e-mail May 6.
The expert said that the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" is a separatist terrorist puppet formation, created by Armenia.
"Armenia is geopolitically and economically dependent on the Kremlin's ambitions," he said.
"In the current situation Moscow would not allow Armenia to make decisions itself. In case of recognizing the "independence" of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia will provoke a conflict itself."
"This will mean disrespect for the norms and principles of the international law, the peace process and once again prove the terrorist nature of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's current regime," the expert stressed.
The expert added that the statutes of the international law are only a piece of paper for President Sargsyan's regime.
Armenia's Foreign Ministry made a statement on May 5 saying that the rumors about the decision of the Armenian government regarding two MPs' initiative to recognize the "independence" of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region are groundless.
The statement read that the government's decision doesn't mean approval of that initiative.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.