Tue 24 November 2009 | 06:05 GMT Text size:

Samvel Farmanyan

Armenia may recognize Karabakh’s independence if negotiations fail and hostilities resume, Armenian presidential spokesman Samvel Farmanyan has said.

He was commenting on Monday on remarks made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev ahead of his meeting with Armenian President Sargsyan in Munich. Aliyev made a speech in in Goranboy in which he did not rule out the possible resumption of hostilities.

“Armenia has repeatedly said that these statements hardly create a favourable atmosphere for the negotiation process on the conflict settlement,” the Armenian presidential press service quoted Farmanyan as saying.

He said that a growth of tension over the Karabakh conflict is the most undesirable outcome for Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia and the whole region.

The presidential spokesman said that Armenia cannot remain indifferent to the destiny of Nagorno-Karabakh’s people and, therefore, the Armenian president and officials have repeatedly stressed Yerevan’s responsibility for Karabakh’s population.

He said the world has adopted forms of action to cope with such developments; for example, Armenia may recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh with all that that implies. He said that Armenia may also sign a treaty on mutual support with Nagorno-Karabakh.

“There are different options and I am confident that Armenia will use these options either separately or together,”  Farmanyan said. He said that Armenia has not yet recognized the independence of Karabakh in order not to prevent the peace talks.

“If peace talks are suspended and further hostilities launched, nothing will prevent Armenia from recognizing the independence of Karabakh,” Farmanyan said.

Kelbajar

Farmanyan said that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the key issue in the peace talks.

The presidents did not discuss any issues concerning Kelbajar District, the spokesman said, commenting on reports in the Azerbaijani media that Armenia would withdraw its forces from Kelbajar by the end of the year which in turn would help Turkey ratify the protocols normalizing its relations with Armenia.

Farmanyan said, “We in Armenia have already got used to the fact that after each meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents ‘well informed sources’ report some nonexistent discussions and agreements. This is pure disinformation. This issue is not discussed and, therefore, there cannot be an agreement. It has been noted many times that the key issue in the discussions and negotiation process over Nagorno-Karabakh is the status of the region.”

News-Armenia   Panorama.am