Karabakh Must Be Fully Involved in Peace Process, Says ARF Political Director

Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs office, Giro Manoyan (Source: Photolure)

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)””In response to statements made by U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby, Giro Manoyan, the political affairs director of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and a member of the party’s Bureau said that Kirby’s statements should serve as the basis for Armenia to raise the issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s participation in the peace process with Azerbaijan.

Last week during a daily press briefing, Kirby said that the U.S. recognizes the role of the population of Karabakh in deciding their future, but does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent sovereign state.

“The need for Nagorno-Karabakh [to] participate in the process instead of waiting for it to be completed must be regularly suggested. This is a basis for raising the issue once more instead of waiting for principles to be laid down and [for] Nagorno-Karabakh [to] be finally involved and forced to say ”˜no’ to everything. It would be better if it had an opportunity to voice its opinion. But Azerbaijan is not creating a constructive atmosphere, and this must be the reason why Armenia’s authorities are not raising the issue,”