Karen Mirzoyan

STEPANAKERT — Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan said on Monday, August 22, that the final settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is only possible through the international recognition of Artsakh’s right to self-determination.

Assessing the Vienna and St. Petersburg meetings of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents during an interview with Tert.am, Mirzoyan noted that they were important milestones to further the peace process, but Artsakh’s direct participation is necessary to relay interests of all parties involved.

“The absence of one of the main parties to the conflict the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic at the negotiating table makes it difficult to achieve a final settlement to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict,” he said.

When asked what compromises Artsakh is ready to make in order to achieve a final settlement to the conflict, Mirzoyan stated “The final settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict is possible only through the international recognition of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination and of the Artsakh Republic, formed as a result of the implementation of that right.”

He continued saying that it is pointless to discuss compromises when Azerbaijan aims to “trample on the right to self-determination of the Armenians in Artsakh.”

During the interview, Mirzoyan stressed that international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the top foreign policy priorities of the country, and will continue steps in that direction.  The international recognition of Artsakh will not only become a powerful tool in ensuring the security of the NKR, but will allow to focus on the development of the necessary mechanisms and conditions for the peaceful coexistence of two independent, sovereign states – the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan, which emerged as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the war imposed by Azerbaijan.