YEREVAN (ARF Press Office)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation political director, Giro Manoyan, told a press conference Monday that if Azerbaijan continues its threats of military aggression Armenia will have no other choice but to recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Manoyan also reiterated the ARF’s ongoing position that Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan, adding that the liberated territories should not be returned. He said the compromise in such a scenario would be “peace.”
The ARF leader expanded his explanation by saying that unlike the policies of the first president of Armenia, it has become very clear in the last 10 years that Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan. This reality, he explained, is also a critical issue recognized by the OSCE Minsk Group whose leaders, while discussing the territorial integrity principle, also underscore the importance of the right to self-determination of peoples.
“The OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries are not announcing that the Karabakh conflict will be resolved by returning Karabakh to Azerbaijan. This approach indicates that they have understood the impossibility of such an option,” said Manoyan.
The ARF representative, once again, asserted that Turkey cannot take part in the OSCE Minsk Group since it is a party to the conflict and has been an ardent defender of Azerbaijan.
Manoyan also added that he did not foresee a resolution to the conflict by the end of the year, citing various factors, among them the upcoming presidential elections in the US. He also added that last week’s elections in Azerbaijan demonstrated that Ilham Aliyev is not dependent on any political force in Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
In this regard, Manoyan said that all political forces in Armenia must play a role in the conflict resolution process by clearly articulating their position on the matter and emphasized the need for Karabakh to return to the negotiating table as a party to the conflict.