Interim status would be a brilliant and fantastic victory for Nagorno-Karabakh – Andranik Mihranyan

Summer days came like a bolt from the blue on Armenia’s mass media and political figures when they found out return of territories was on the agenda of negotiations for a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russia-based political scientist Andranik Mihranyan told Tert.am.

“What should the negotiations be on? I believed that even a child in Armenia could understand that territories had to be exchanged for approval of independent status for Nagorno-Karabakh by the government of Azerbaijan, with the international community - the OSCE Mink Group and others – to be guarantors. I cannot understand the reason for a universal surprise at a need for returning part of the territories,” Mr Mihranyan said.

No one should think the Armenian side can be in control of both Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions, which are defined as “liberated,” “seized,” and so on.

“The territories cannot remain part of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is unacceptable to either Azerbaijan or anyone else,” Mr Mihranyan said.

He is sure that Armenia and the Armenian people want Azerbaijan to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s sovereignty.

Asked about possible mutual concessions, Mr Mihranyan said:

“No Armenian leader, especially Serzh Sargsyan, who has from the outset been involved in the struggle for Artsakh’s independence, will not return an inch of land just for no reason, without guarantees for Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence and security.”

In response to a remark that the Armenian side objects to any territorial concessions to Azerbaijan as it may raise the probability of war, Mr Mihranyan said:

“Of course, both Armenia’s society and the Armenian president and foreign minister are concerned, with the president and the foreign minister personally conducting the negotiations. If we speak of an inevitable war, it does not make any sense to conduct any talks or sign an agreement.”

A number of political figures in Armenia are seeking to isolate Armenia, which will result in new sanctions and rule out a possibility of arms supplies that enable Armenia to ensure its own and Nagorno-Karabakh’s security.

“The international community, which recognized Azerbaijan with its soviet borders, is viewing Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. Under the circumstances, even an ‘interim status’ would be a brilliant and fantastic victory for Nagorno-Karabakh. It would allow Nagorno-Karabakh to stop being part of Azerbaijan within international law,” Mr Mihranyan said.

Neither side has submitted a “package settlement” to the negotiations.

“I think if Azerbaijan is exerting such a great pressure on the international community for it, in turn, to press Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh into returning five regions, it is expected to receive adequate compensation. And compensation is, at least, approval of interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. It will be the first instance of Azerbaijan agreeing to Artsakh not being part of Azerbaijan, but a territory with interim status, recognized by all the co-chairs and international community,” Mr Mihranyan said.

According to him, Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status will eventually be determined.

“It is not that after we hand the territories over to them we should think of the final status. All the steps from the interim status to the final status must be clearly enshrined in the agreement before an inch of land is handed over. We must realize that if Azerbaijan declares war after interim status has been granted to Artsakh, it will violate the agreements, and the international community will have t impose sanctions to curb Azerbaijan.”