STEPANAKERT—The Foreign Ministry of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on Monday issued an announcement recognizing the Crimea’s referendum and praising “yet another manifestation of realization of the right of people to self-determination.”
Below is the translated text of the announcement as disseminated from the Karabakh foreign ministry.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (the Artsakh Republic) considers the referendum held on March 16 in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as yet another manifestation of realization of the right of people to self-determination.
The right of every people to choose its path of development and determine its destiny on its own through democratic expression of will, as it is enshrined in the UN Charter and a number of fundamental international documents, is a key principle of international law.
The experience of recent years, in particular the referendums envisaged in Catalonia and Scotland prove that the recognition and realization of the inalienable right of people to self-determination is the most optimal and democratic way for the peaceful settlement of this kind of issues.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic hopes that the situation following the referendum in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will be addressed and resolved in the legal context exclusively by peaceful means.
Although I agree with the general nature of the statement, making one may be a disadvantage for our cause. Silence would have been more advantageous as it would not have given the people in Ukraine an excuse to be against us. What can I say, more political ineptitude.
Having a know-it-all attitude and a big mouth does not allow room for silence.
Now Ukraine will likely not recognize Artsakh, because of Artsakh ‘s stance on the Crimea issue. It is a very idiotic move indeed. Looks like those politicians are really blind and have no clue about anything.
Not only that, but Azerbaijan uses countries with territorial problems to strengthen their relations; it’s done so with Serbia, Georgia, Spain, and now it’ll find a new best friend in Ukraine and point to our rash inability to process how anything is going to be interpreted on the international scene.
Ukraine had 20 years to recognize Artsakh, do you really think they would in the future? Especially with their own Crimea issue (regardless of us recognizing it or not). Looks like you have no clue about anything.
Ukraine is a divided country. And the majority of Armenians live in the east and in Crimea. Both of these regions are pro Russian, and Orthodox Christians. The more statelets are created in the world the stronger Artsakh’s case for independence and international recognition becomes.
Ukraine has sold millions worth of weaponry to Azerbaijan over the years. Did they stop to think what little ole Armenians would think of them? Did that not give us an excuse to be against them? Self-interest comes first, nobody cares about hurting somebody else’s feelings. Every move will one way or another displease somebody. Our neutrality and trying to be nice to everybody had almost gotten us wiped off the Earth.
Russia has sold billions of dollars worth of weaponry to Azerbaijan as well. Not only that, but Russia uses its influence to make sure the Karabagh conflict is never settled so that it can continue to enjoy the benefits of having an unending demand for weaponry in the Caucasus. Why does that not impact the way Armenians see Russia?
Remember Armenia did not make that statement. It was Artsakh. Artsakh made similar statements about Ossetia and Abkhazia. They have no choice but to have made that statement. After all Artsakh is in exactly similar political situation as Crimea. Not to have made that statement would have made them the laughing stock of all the self determination movements of the world.
Personally, as a diaspora Armenian, I am so proud of the political maturity of our leadership(not just the government) of the homeland. They are in a tough neighborhood and they have succeeded in establishing friendly relations with Iran and semi friendly relations with Georgia. They are also have business relations with Turkey. No one in the diaspora has the right to tell our leadership in the homeland how to conduct the politics on the ground in such dire geopolitical environment. All in all I think they have done a marvelous job since independence.
It is gratitude gesture to Russia for protecting Artzakh from Azebaijan, It is more important Russia’s support, than the temorary political damage with Ukrania (if any)
Armenia has done the right thing to recognize the Crimea independence. Why not? Look at Ukraine itself. Its stance on poor Armenians has always been based on cowardice and pro-Azeri actions. Selling arms to azeris and many more dirty secret actions. They have always been anti-Armenian and pro-turks-azeris. Everybody knows that. Who gives a shit about deterioration of Armenia-Ukraine relations, since there’s no relations at all. Now it’s our turn to screw Ukraine. Armenia has nothing to lose. The most important thing is sticking to Russia, ’cause its our only chance of survival. And also, there may be a slim chance of Artsakh recognition by Russia. In this case, it’s better to be active and brave rather than passive, and maybe something happens.
Where is Ara Manoogian to denounce Karabagh’s actions??? Will he harass Robert Avetisyan again in another hotel lobby? Will Ara Manoogian and Policy Forum Armenia now author a paper on how Karabagh should be given to Azerbaijan?
Armenians always on the wrong side of history. We have never been keen on politics, never!
what are you talking about hratch, what do you know about Ukraine or Crimea. Stop watching US controled media who have been poisoning the minds of the ppl. Crimea is part of Russia and i am glad Artsak recognized it.
Very bad decision by Artsakh. It is very wrong for us to recognize Crimea.
Recognizing Crimea won’t make people recoznige Artsakh. If anything, it will only make Artsakh look bad in the international community. Artsakh is Artsakh.Crimea is Crimea. Kosovo is Kosovo. Javakhk is Javakhk. Abkhazia is Abkhazia. South Ossetia is South Ossetia. We can’t compare them. Comparing Artsakh to Crimea is like comparing oranges to apples. That is ridiculous.
We, Armenians, must not support Crimea independence. It is unfair for Ukrainians. Crimean people have the right to independence, but having a referendum when a foreign nation like Russia has its troops in Crimea is not right. Russian troops must first leave Crimea than Crimea can seek a referendum for independence according to international law.
Justice for the Ukrainian people. Ukraine and Ukrainian people deserves all the support from Armenians.
lol now replace Ukraine with Azerbaijan and Crimea with NK and realize that what you’re mouthing off is exactly against our own struggle. “We must not support Artsakh independence. It is unfair for Azeris.” Just like NK, Crimea was given to another country during Soviet rule, now they’re fixing that historic mistake.
Karabagh and Crimea are not the same. Get that through your head. They are completely different.
Are you Artsakhtsi to say that it’s “very wrong for us to recognize Crimea”?
I doubt. Ukrainian and Russian people deserve all the support of Armenians. The problem is that Crimea and Eastern and Southern parts of Ukraine are populated by ethnic Russians who deserve our support and Central Ukraine is populated by Ukrainians who deserve our support.
Western Ukraine is populated by a mixture of Hungarians, Pols, Romanians and Slavs who were converted to Catholicism and now try to be more Catholics than the Pope. They displaced and killed the native populations of that area and supported Nazis during WWII forming two SS divisions who attacked the rest of what is now Ukraine including Crimea. They use the same slogans, emblems and flags to create chaos in the country.
Needles to say the same Western Ukrainian bands fought in Artsakh on Azeri side. Artsakhtsi remember this just like Crimean people remember Nazi occupation.
FINALLY, Armenians not being afraid to take sides and not sit on an ambiguous fence. Does this mean we are finally growing some political balls? I hope so. Time to pick a side and start building our nation. Our president has already picked the right side and the whole Ukrainian fiasco has proven this. Now time to be more confident in our direction and build our future. The days of being politically weak, neutral, complementary and spineless are hopefully over, again thanks to the the Karabaghtsis again who show the way.
Building a future? Sorry, bub, but that’s totally out of the question as long as Russia is directly involved.
Very smart move in my view. Thank you! Let’s hope Russia will continue to prosper as a friendly state-nation to Armenia.
Russia is going to implode in a few years, and unfortunately, we’re going to go down with them thanks to fanatic Russophiles.
So far it’s been the EU and the US on the way to implode.. Russia on the contrary has come out as a real superpower having earned much respect. Last but not least, I’d much rather be a Russophile than an American stooge.
Excellent posture by our karabagh leadership. Recognition is a must. After Crimea the other regions will follow suit. Karabagh will recognize them and be recognized in turn. This is a non compromise issue. The self determination of the peoples is paramount and trumps the baloney of territorial integrity. The wilsonian concept is being revived by the great Russian. Fantastic news. Silence is for the cowards and those suffering from a sense of insecurity. Armenia must look after her interests, karabaghs interests lie inalienable with the concept of self determination.
The “snowball” effect won’t work here.
Bravo Artsakh. That is what I call political acumen of the first magnitude. Artsakhs cause was Crimea’s cause. Ukraine is unraveling faster than a thread bare woollen skein. Ukraine will do well to keep its unity in the ethnically Ukranian demarcated limits.That is their territory and its peoples. There is no justification to covet Russian speaking peoples and their historical lands. The Ukraine is ineluctably on the road to fragment into ethnically territorial configurations. In the end the slavic brothers will live in peace side by side together. The revolt fosterd and fuelled by megalomaniac USA-EU ambitions is in tatters. The stirred up the peoples of the Ukraine for their own selfish goals of territorial expansion toward the east and their efforts have ended in a grand fiasco. Only political fools and dilettantes could have possibly conceived that Rusia would have reclined supinely and let her territories and peoples be prised away and have the criminal Nato Inc, professional bombardiers, stuck up right on her border. The road to Rusia’s heart is through the vast fields of Ukrania. Napoleon went through it, and scampered back desolated and destroyed. . Hitler trod the same path and ended disastrously in the cauldron of Stalingrad. The USA-EU were luckier, they were stopped in Kiev.
Do not be mislead: Artsakh’s cause and Crimea’s “cause” are not at all the same thing.
Wonderful decision!!! No need to look forward to America to help solve our problems in Artsakh!!! We shall decide them with the help of Mother Russia!!! Rejoice,rejoice,international recognition is coming our way-soon we will be thiking of the second Armenian republic!!!
This is the same poorly thought-out Armenian rush to judgement that has left us in the same infantile position for the past 100 years. Stop putting your hope in Russia– Armenia should prove itself and be able to convince the world that Artsakh is worthy of independence. Russia profits from the Karabagh conflict directly, there is no way in hell it would help it gain recognition.
I personally think it was a good call. Ukraine doesn’t even recognize Artsakh. How can it be upset at them? Armenia can absolve itself and say they had nothing to do with it. Russia can’t have its cake and eat it too. If they recognize Crimea and people’s right to self-determination, then they should also for Artsakh. Finally something from our homeland’s politicians with some testicular fortitude. Armenia should then push Russia to recognize Artsakh and follow suit. Then Armenia can recognize Crimea. If Ukraine get upset then, it is worth the cost.
Unfortunately what we have at hand is not Ukraine’s or Crimea’s independence but the Great Powers’ spheres of influence. The reason the West is upset is not because they want Ukraine to remain independent but because it loses its control over Ukraine/Crimea. At this time, whether we like it or not, Russia’s and Iran’s interests like with us. With the current situation, the Tatar-Chechen-Turkic-Azeri link is going to polarize against Russia, who will have to support us for its own interests. Iran also hates Azeris despite their Muslim connection. Russia will also side more with Iran and not pressure it with their nuclear program. That’s how I see the lay of that land.
You say that Russia can’t have it’s cake and eat it too, but who’s going to stop them from doing that? Our enslaved government who cannot even stand up for its own interests with Iran and their proposed pipeline? Have you considered the fact that Ukraine is one of Armenia’s largest trading partners, and if the Azeris convince them to embargo our goods, we get isolated even further?
Armenians need to develop a more balanced and thoughtful foreign policy– It’s like all we can see is Russia, and this is extremely dangerous.
If you study carefully, you’ll notice that Armenia has indeed created a balanced foreign policy with the US, the EU, Iran and Russia thanks to the diplomatic brilliance of President Sarkissian. But Armenia’s strategic ally is the Russian Federation quite naturally.
after 20 years or so of independence they should know that in politics nothing is free. Why did they recognize an entity that does not recognize them? Reciprocity is one of the basis of international relations. More importantly, recognition should be contingent on Russia’s recognition of NK.
Btw, I totally agree with Armenian: SILENCE would have been the most prudent course of action until things clear out. this is not our battle.
Wow, do you realize that we have been fighting AGAINST silence for the past century? Your arguments are the same other countries use to not recognize the genocide. They don’t want to upset Turkey. They say this is not our battle. Reevaluate yourself, please.
It is your battle if you have mentally and emotionally accepted yourself as an Armenian who puts Russia’s interests before theirs, like an alarming amount of “Armenians”; some of whom are literally begging for Russia to come into our country with their troops, do.
Armenians have nothing to do with the forced military insurrection in Crimea, and if they were smart, they wouldn’t take sides on the issue. Don’t think that by kissing Russia’s ass in everything, they’re going to start helping us because it’s not in their interests to do so. We’ve been doing just that, and what has it gotten us? Practically no where, and every time we try to do something for ourselves, Russia sells arms to its “strategy ally’s” enemy, Azerbaijan.
Crimea and Karabagh are only similar on the surface in that they’re both territories that Russia can manipulate in order to punish one country or another for their actions. To compare the people of Karabagh’s struggle against Crimea is a complete disservice to the men and women who fought for Karabagh’s independence and freedom from certain oppressive and bloodthirsty Azeri maniacs.
Armenians, stop being so naive. The world doesn’t work in the way many of us like to think– there is no such thing as “Orthodox Brotherhoods”, and sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut than to open it and say or do something stupid, especially when you have an enemy that is watching your every move, and waiting for any opportunity to pounce on your stupidity.
Expect anti-Armenian sentiments to go up in Ukraine, just as they have done in Georgia, because the Azeri embassy and diaspora in those countries have been so successful in taking the words and half-assed “ideas” of certain Armenians and distorting and spreading them in countries that have similar problems. We constantly keep shooting ourselves in the foot because our naive worldview has not changed since 1915, and a large part of that is because Armenians are Russians before they are Armenians.
I agree with you. Recognizing Crimea is foolish at this stage. It will do us more harm than good. It also implies the Artsakh issue is the same as the Crimea issue. Which it is not.
Time has come to rewrite the bounderies. The will of the people must be recognized.
It is too early to make such political statement. Let other nations analyze the implications.
We should have been patient a little bit more. Europe and the USA talked and acted regarding the independence of Catalunia, Scottland, Khosovo, South Sudan, Kurdistan, Tibet and Nagorno Gharabagh.
Gharabagh is a “local and strictly regional” issue, while Crimea is becoming an international issue where Russia, Europe and the US are actively involved. I hope that the 100,000 + Armenians living in Kiev, Lvov, Chernvitse, Odessa will not suffer from Gharabagh statement.
Armenian’s are very far away from understanding politics! Funny and you post this like it’s something to be proud of?
All you supporters of this land grab are naive. It’s not about Ukraine or Ukraine not recognizing Artsakh. It’s about going against International law and siding with the devil. We have enough enemies in this world, we don’t need to add anymore. What Putin (the former KGB apparatchik) did was illegal in every sense of the word. His actions haD all the hallmarks of a classic despot dictator…using force, having a referendum without debate and a quick 93% victory.
Armenia depending on “Mother Russia” is just absurd. Their not your mother or father and we are not their bastard child. They’re out for their interests. Someone commented about Ukrainke supplying Azerbaijan with weapons, unless you’ve been under a rock somewhere, your “Mother Russia” has done this numerous times in the past. Unlike Ukraine, Russia’s intent was to blackmail Armenia into submission.
Armenians are their own worst enemy. They sided with genocidal Assad and now with comrade Putin. Two very outstanding world citizens with impeccable pasts and prosperous future. The world can see through our selfish/childish resolves. Simple approaches to complex issues. The know-it-all attitude that has destroyed our nation in the past and continues to destroy what’s left.
LONG LIVE THE SERF ARMENIAN PEASANTS!
One can easily sense utter hypocrisy in these sentences.. throwing out the exact same lies the mainstream media has been feeding you with..
The Kremlin stooges are praising a 97% vote. Russia will get isolated and will cripple.
Glad somebody else realizes it as well. Then the self-proclaimed “Armenian nationalists” accuse others of being “traitors” for being against putting all of Armenia in the hands of a country that is going to crumble quicker than you can say “da svedanya”.
lol Russia will get isolated? By whom? The so called “free” West? The same Europe who will freeze to death in the winter if Russia cuts off gas? The same Europe who doesn’t have the backbone to do anything else but make empty statements at a podium? Russia has demonstrated that it is willing to use force. I’d rather side with the big guy who can fight, than the wimp who tries to talk it out.
But alright, if we forget Russia, who should we depend on as a “friend”? I put that in quotations because there’s no such thing in world politics, I understand that very well. Okay maybe Russia won’t come to our help. But one thing we know is that the “West” definitely will not. Guess what, I’d rather have some odds in my favor than none.
“Armenian”, and other people who disapprove of Armenian foreign policy, please understand that commenting on EVERY article of Asbarez is not going to do anything. Also, I would urge you not to be so absolutist in your beliefs. Russia selling arms to our enemy is not reason enough to abandon all facets of our relationship with Russia. Neither is it reason enough to not work with America, Iran, or other countries because they also do business with Azerbaijan. We may not approve of the existence of Azerbaijan. The rest of the world does recognize it as a legal entity. Also, this CU dilemma is very similar if we were to sign with EU. After all, we do not have any ports or borders with EU countries either. Moreover, calling Russia “backwards” and “hethamnats” is very subjective and naive.
WHO SAYS WHAT
The Karabakh Foreign Ministry Statement on Crimea was appropriate and it was the interest of Artsakh’s People