Yerevan: Madrid document is still on negotiation table 

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".