Armenia urged to recognize Karabakh based on Kosovo precedent
Armenian political expert Stepan Grigoryan says that Yerevan should recognize Serbia’s Kosovo province as a precedent for its recognition of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Thursday, July 31, 2008
"Armenia has to recognize Kosovo's independence or recognize Kosovo's and Karabakh's independence at the same time. I have always opposed to recognizing the independence of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic alone, as this would be an isolation from the world. But considering that the Kosovo precedent nowadays works in our favour, tomorrow, when everyone recognizes Kosovo, including the Russian Federation and China, and this is going to happen very soon, our step will no longer have a value," Grigoryan said.
"We must take unexpected steps, " he added.
The political expert says now that the world disputes which of these principles is more important - the right to self-determination or the inviolability of the countries' territorial integrity - Armenia should recognize Kosovo's independence, as Kosovo proclaimed independence based on the principle of self- determination.
"In this way could we prevent a military settlement. Such steps would make the world regard the Nagorno-Karabakh republic more seriously. Let's not cheat each other - Azerbaijan understands that today Armenia has been quite weakened. As nowadays Azerbaijan has other advantages as well - as a result of oil and gas transactions - we should take unexpected steps. After recognizing Kosovo's independence, Armenia will make friends by several superpowers."
