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Armenian National Congress and Republicans Against Karabakh Recognition

Armenia may ensure its and Artsakh’s security by recognizing the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and it has to do that before entering the EEU. Today, November 11, the draft law about the “Fundamental aspects of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and the Republic of Armenia’s political-military security” was presented by Heritage Party faction MP Zaruhi Postanjyan and discussed in the National Assembly. Postanjyan recalled that, according to the EEU treaty, there must be customs checkpoints on the Armenia and NKR borders.

“If the draft law is accepted, that will be done by the NA Speaker’s signature, and the Presidential Office’s approval would no longer be necessary,” said Postanjyan.

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) and Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), as well as, MP Edmon Marukyan, were against the passing of the draft law dealing with the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D) was for the bill, along with the Heritage Party who submitted it into the NA agenda.

The HAK faction leader Levon Zurabyan said that they are against Artsakh’s recognition, because the process of peaceful negotiations would be ruined by Armenia only. According to Zurabyan, that will also violate the NKR citizens' principle of self-determination.

“Furthermore, that will put Armenia in international isolation and will increase the danger of the resumption of hostilities. Finally, NKR recognition should not be done by unilaterally by Armenia’s statement, but rather by populating Armenia and Karabakh,” said Zurabyan.

Edmon Marukyan said that every time this issue is put on the National Assembly’s agenda, it is being unnecessarily exploited. In the independent MP’s opinion, the issue of including peacekeeping troops is also exploited, whereas, like NKR President Bako Sahakyan said, the best peacekeeping troops are the NKR army. Responding to Marukyan, Postanjyan said that the inclusion of peacekeeping troops to NKR is a matter of time, according to the Maindorf Declaration accepted in 2008.

Armen Rustamyan, the ARF-D faction leader, confirmed his party’s stance for NKR recognition.

“Being against or abstaining on this issue is not possible. There is no alternative for the Dashnaktsutyun, other than being for (the bill), because an against or abstaintion could be analyzed and has been analyzed in different ways, and we have seen that since 2007,” said Rustamyan.

The Heritage Party’s suggestions in the draft law are:

1. Recognize NK/Artsakh as an independent state;

2. Exclude peacekeepers, customs checkpoints, or other structures from international organizations on the state borders between NK/Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia;

3. Exclude the deployment of troops from other states or international organizations on the republics of NK/Artsakh, Armenia, and Azerbaijan’s borders;

4. Exclude the Republic of Armenia’s membership to any entity that would danger the sovereignty and territorial integrity of NK/Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia.