Karabakh’s recognition by Armenia will undermine Minsk Group’s format

Armenia’s recognition of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence will completely undermine the OSCE Minsk Group format, Deputy Director of Noravanq Foundation Sevak Sarukhanyan told a news conference today.

“Recognition of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence by Armenia will completely undermine the [OSCE] Minsk Group format,” said he, adding that we don’t need to undermine the Minsk Group’s format but rather have Karabakh recognized internationally.

“It will not bring about any great changes for NK, whether or not Armenia will recognize [it],” he added.

Asked whether it was possible that Armenia could recognize Karabakh’s independence and withdraw from negotiation process, Sevak Sarukhanyan answered: “That is possible, but that will be shameful for Armenia. All this process is beneficial for us; the negotiation process is taking place in a very rational way. No other format more beneficial than the mediation by Russia, France and US will ever be established,” he added.