Edward Sharmazanov, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), on Tuesday welcomed the latest statement by the leaders of the United States, Russia and France on Nagorno-Karabakh that comes after Serzh Sarkisian’s year-long negotiations with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliev to find a solution to the longstanding dispute.
In their joint statement issued at the G8 Summit in Italy last Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian and French counterparts Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, as leaders of the nations that spearhead the international efforts on the Karabakh conflict resolution, affirmed their commitment “to support the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
They urged the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan “to resolve the few differences remaining between them and finalize their agreement on these Basic Principles, which will outline a comprehensive settlement.”
United States expectations of progress in the upcoming Armenia-Azerbaijan summit were also voiced by First Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg who visited Baku and Yerevan last weekend and met the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders ahead of their next round of talks scheduled in Russian capital Moscow on July 17.
The HHK spokesman declined to comment on whether a framework agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh might be signed during the Friday meeting of the two South Caucasus leaders.
Yet, Sharmazanov excluded a situation in which Sarkisian would have to step down as president over domestic opposition in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement – something that happened when Armenia’s first president and Sarkisian’s current vocal opponent Levon Ter-Petrosian had to resign in February 1998.
“There can be no resignation of the president,” Sharmazanov emphasized. “Unlike many people Serzh Sarkisian is a politician and statement with a high sense of responsibility and together with his team he will complete what he has pledged to the people. Besides, there are no reasons for his resignation. On the contrary, Sarkisian’s popularity is growing.”
Earlier on Monday, Armenia’s main opposition called for Sarkisian’s resignation predicting a close denouement in the ongoing peace talks that it said would not be a pro-Armenian one. The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) led by Ter-Petrosian has accused the current head of state of bowing to external pressures and readily agreeing to significant concessions over Karabakh and in relations with Turkey because of ‘lacking legitimacy domestically’.
Leader of the opposition Heritage party’s parliamentary faction Armen Martirosian said that by positively responding to the troika’s statement the Armenian authorities have to make steps towards realizing “dangerous” Madrid principles.
“He [Sarkisian] faces a choice – either to sign [the document] and get a Nobel [Peace] Prize along with the Armenian people’s scorn or not to sign it and get appreciation of the people for this step,” said Martirosian.
In their joint statement issued at the G8 Summit in Italy last Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian and French counterparts Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, as leaders of the nations that spearhead the international efforts on the Karabakh conflict resolution, affirmed their commitment “to support the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
They urged the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan “to resolve the few differences remaining between them and finalize their agreement on these Basic Principles, which will outline a comprehensive settlement.”
United States expectations of progress in the upcoming Armenia-Azerbaijan summit were also voiced by First Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg who visited Baku and Yerevan last weekend and met the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders ahead of their next round of talks scheduled in Russian capital Moscow on July 17.
The HHK spokesman declined to comment on whether a framework agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh might be signed during the Friday meeting of the two South Caucasus leaders.
Yet, Sharmazanov excluded a situation in which Sarkisian would have to step down as president over domestic opposition in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement – something that happened when Armenia’s first president and Sarkisian’s current vocal opponent Levon Ter-Petrosian had to resign in February 1998.
“There can be no resignation of the president,” Sharmazanov emphasized. “Unlike many people Serzh Sarkisian is a politician and statement with a high sense of responsibility and together with his team he will complete what he has pledged to the people. Besides, there are no reasons for his resignation. On the contrary, Sarkisian’s popularity is growing.”
Earlier on Monday, Armenia’s main opposition called for Sarkisian’s resignation predicting a close denouement in the ongoing peace talks that it said would not be a pro-Armenian one. The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) led by Ter-Petrosian has accused the current head of state of bowing to external pressures and readily agreeing to significant concessions over Karabakh and in relations with Turkey because of ‘lacking legitimacy domestically’.
Leader of the opposition Heritage party’s parliamentary faction Armen Martirosian said that by positively responding to the troika’s statement the Armenian authorities have to make steps towards realizing “dangerous” Madrid principles.
“He [Sarkisian] faces a choice – either to sign [the document] and get a Nobel [Peace] Prize along with the Armenian people’s scorn or not to sign it and get appreciation of the people for this step,” said Martirosian.