Baku’s ‘Maximalist’ Claims Prevent Karabakh Resolution, Says Sarkisian

YEREVAN—President Serzh Sarkisian on Monday said he did not see prospects for resolving the Karabakh conflict adding that “Azerbaijan does not seem willing to resolve the issue.”

Sarkisian was speaking at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev who is on an official visit to Armenia.

Sarkisian said “Baku has had a number of opportunities in the past to resolve the Karabkh conflict in a peaceful way, but because of its actions today we can only speak about lost opportunities.”

“The Karabakh conflict can be solved only in the event when Azerbaijan backs down from its maximalist, unrealistic expectations from negotiation results,” he said.

“There can be no hope for a solution as long as Azerbaijan advocates invading Zangezur or Yerevan,” Sarkisian said referring to recent remarks by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who promised his people that Azerbaijan will one day reclaim the aforementioned cities as party of its historic territory.

Sarkisian thanked Radev for Bulgaria’s continued support for a peaceful resolution to the Karabakh conflict and for what he called “a balanced position” on the matter.

“Bulgaria has always had a clear position on the issue: the conflict can be resolved, without exception, through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group and with support from the European Union. It’s very important for the presidents of the two countries to uphold active dialogue based on reason. Bulgaria, as President of the Council of Europe, supports the implementation of this position,” said Sarkisian.

Radev arrived in Armenia on Monday and as part of his itinerary visited the Dzidzernagapert memorial monument. He was accompanied by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan. They were greeted at the complex by the acting director of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute Gevorg Vardanyan.

The Bulgarian President laid a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide and paid tribute to their memory with a moment of silence. He then visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, where he was briefed on the details of the first genocide of the 20th century.

Radev left a note in the memory book, after which he was presented with a gold medal by Vardanyan. The Bulgarian president also planted a fir tree in the Memorial Alley.

Following talks with Sarkisian and a visit to the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies a state dinner was held at the Presidential Palace in Radev’s honor.