Cyprus admits self-determination is key issue in Karabakh process – Safrastyan

A country seeking to resolve its problems based on the principle of territorial integrity, Cyprus has admitted that people's right to self-determination is a core principle in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan, Head of the National Academy's Institute of Oriental Studies, told a news conference on Tuesday.

He said this is the first time when both Cyprus and Armenia state in an official document that the right to self-determination should have legally binding effect in the process.

"The right to self-determination should have a predominant value in the Karabakh settlement process," he stressed.

Speaking of Serzh Sargsyan's official speech in Cyprus, he said the president had made very serious and well-founded assessments, addressing Turkey's policy in relation to Armenia and countries in the region.

"It was the first time our country's leader characterized Turkey's policy as that of a blackmailer. This is a very serious accusation," he said, adding that Turkey had always resorted to blackmails even though none of Armenia's top leaders had ever voiced the problem
Safrastyan attached importance to the president's statement on Armenia's having the right to set the recognition of Genocide as a precondition in normalizing its ties with Turkey.

"The policy launched last year continues. We saw our diplomacy's active efforts in pushing forward the right to self-determination on the one hand and advancing our interests in the relationship with Turkey on the other."

The expert ruled out the possibility of the Armenian-Turkish process facing a deadlock as a result of the president's tough statement.

"The diplomacy had reached a deadlock long ago. As far back as last year it was stated that the process no longer existed. Armenia preferred a dialogue with Turkey to preconditions."