No one can explain why Kosovo cannot be precedent for Karabakh: Stepan Safaryan

No one has so far explained why Kosovo cannot be a precedent for Nagorno Karabakh as these two conflicts differ only in the way that different nations leave in the respective areas, Heritage MP Stepan Safaryan said at a press conference today.

According to him the ruling by the International Court of Justice proved that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence has not violated any international law.

"Kosovo came to change the view that any nation's right to self-determination can be subjected to the caprices of any country," said Mr Safaryan, adding that the court's ruling is a serious breakthrough for the interpretation and application of international law, as no one has so far trustworthily explained why Kosovo cannot be a precedent for the settlement of the NK conflict.

Further he said the Azerbaijani panicked after that ruling clearly aware that despite international assurances such a ruling fully legitimizes NK's right to self-determination and rules out its return to Azerbaijan. In this sense, according to Safaryan, escalation in Azerbaijan's war rhetoric can be expected, but at the same time today Azerbaijan has found itself in a situation when the probability of unleashing a war and winning it is rather low.

Speaking about the much-trumpeted deal between Russia and Azerbaijan, that would see Moscow sell S-300 anti-missile complexes to Baku, as well as Russia's recent move to renovate an agreement with Armenia over the Russian military base in Gyumri, Safaryan said that Russia wants to take advantage of the situation and keep the countries in the region dependent on it.

Mr Safaryan also touched upon Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's upcoming visit to Armenia expected take place in August, saying that Mr Medvedev will definitely pay this visit given a few weeks ago US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton paid a landmark visit to the region, including Armenia. The reason is that simple: both powers have their interests in the region and none will tolerate any prevalence in other's presence in the region.