Armenia/Azerbaijan: Tensions Rise Over Nagorno-Karabakh

03 March 2006
RFE/RL

In an television interview on March 2, Armenian President Robert Kocharian hinted that he was prepared to recognize the disputed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.

But he said that would only happen if Azerbaijan opts out of further negotiations or launches a new military offensive: "But if the moment arrives, when Azerbaijan indeed unequivocally says that the time is right for them, that they have to strengthen their army and in the future will solve the Karabakh issue by force, then our steps should be as followed: firstly, de jure recognition of Nagorno-Karabkah by the Republic of Armenia."
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Kocharian also said that he believes that the Karabakh leadership should be involved in peace negotiations: "We have to try to engage Nagorno-Karabakh more actively in the negotiation process.[...]
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Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian Service on February 18, Arkady Ghukasian, the president of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic, said that in the event that no progress is made in the peace talks, the Karabakh leadership might seek to pressure Armenia to recognize the republic as an independent state.

President Kocharian's comments on March 2 come one day after strong words from his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev.
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