ArmInfo. There is one document that is still on the table of negotiations of Karabakh settlement, approved by the two of the three sides, this is Madrid document, Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan stated on November 23 at the press conference in Yerevan.
The Deputy Minister noted that Nagorno Karabakh did not accept Madrid document as the basis for negotiations. "There is no other document. During the negotiations process a lot of documents, proposals were discussed, however the sides approved none of them. The most famous is Kazan document, which in someway was amended model of Madrid document. If Azerbaijan did not fail signing of this document in Kazan it would be Stepanakert's turn to agree or disagree with it. If official Stepanakert agreed to it the three sides would launch negotiations around the agreement", Kocharyan informed.
In this context he recalled that when Madrid principles were proposed the co-chairs were openly stating that the sides disagree on certain provisions. "The co-chairs were saying that they have developed a compatible position, which envisages exercise of right on self-determination exclusively on the territory of Nagorno Karabakh and creating safe land connection with Armenia, as well as observance of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity but without Nagorno Karabakh and the land link. This was the solution proposed by the co- chairs", the Deputy Minister noted.
At the same time he added that adoption of Madrid principles was a serious concession by the Armenian side as in 1991 Nagorno Karabakh already held a referendum on independence and only international recognition was needed. He added that Madrid Principles supposed holding of delayed referendum, the results of which in fact were foregone as according to the calculation of population in soviet times 75% of Armenians and 25% of Azerbaijani people lived on the territory of Nagorno Karabakh.
He also noted that by initiating a wide scale aggression in April Azerbaijan has violated its international obligations on the agreements signed in 1994-1995. According to him in this light the question arises, whether there are any guarantees that Azerbaijan in case package agreement is implemented will not refuse from the taken obligations as this happened in April. "Any package agreement will be implemented in phases, but it will be signed with a state that is ready to withdraw its obligations at any moment", he noted
Talking about the co-chairs' position Kocharyan noted that for all this period the co-chairs have not condemned any of the sides. According to him the co-chairs have two missions: the first one is to assist the sides to reach an agreement, however no progress has been registered in this issue, "What was obvious for the Armenian side, today is evident for the co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group and international community as Azerbaijan torpedoes this process. The second mission, which unfortunately has come to the fore is to do everything to prevent resumption of military actions", the Armenian diplomat stated.
He recalled that 3 out of 5 members of the UN Security Council act as mediators in the Karabakh conflict and their direct obligation is to prevent resumption of military actions. "This means that resumption of military actions in the zone of Karabakh conflict will be a slap in the face of UN Security Council. It is not coincidence that after the April events the co-chairs demonstrated such an activity organizing summits in Vienna and Saint Petersburg".