Armenia must create prerequisites for Karabakh's international recognition: L. Zurabyan

Armenia should take serious steps for Karabakh's international recognition, coordinator of opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) Levon Zurabyan told a news conference today.

"Instead of taking surface steps - allegedly aimed at NK's recognition, but which harm it [Karabakh's recognition] - it is necessary to do everything so that the NKR matures as an independent military-political entity, as an independent statehood, so that prerequisites are created also for [its] international recognition," said he.

Mr Zurabyan reminded that Armenia's first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan was once engaged in developing the NKR.

"During Levon Ter-Petrosyan's years in office Karabakh was established as an independent military-political entity; the Armenian nation achieved victory in the Karabakh war; NK was so seriously taken by the international community that it was during the 1994 Budapest Summit recognized as a fully fledged conflicting party, which was the greatest achievement. During Ter-Petrosyan's term in offices Karabakh had been inhabited," said Mr Zurabyan.

Further he said that the international community will take the reality into account, should there be any, and will recognize Karabakh's independence.

"But these authorities have been busy in destroying that reality. They explain to the international community that the NK is not an independent military-political entity, that it will have no voice in this process, that Karabakh is simply attached to this regime in Armenia," he added.

Mr Zurabyan further said that given the basis of NKR's international recognition are undermined, "any surface steps will harm its international recognition."

Speaking about attempts by Armenian Zharangutyun (Heritage) Party to raise the issue of Karabakh's recognition by Armenia, he said that they pursue political dividends.