YEREVAN. – A respect should be demanded, from the international community, in terms of the already recognized right to self-determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Yerevan State University lecturer, Doctor of Philosophy, and political scientist,  Professor Aleksander Manasyan stated during a press conference on Thursday. 

“We do not pay enough attention to our mentality. Why did we [Armenians] become victims of massacres? Such events do not take place without a preparation. We still do not acknowledge the position of Europe in this respect. In addition, it must be admitted that the West, aiming to destroy the Soviet Union, supported, for some time, the [Armenian] people of Karabakh’s aspiration for independence but, subsequently, Karabakh ceased to pose an interest,” the political analyst noted.   

In Manasyan’s conviction, the Armenians were not a national minority in Azerbaijan; instead, they are among the founding peoples of that state.  

“In addition, we have lost the geographic idea of Karabakh. Karabakh is not the former [Soviet] autonomous region; we have not come outside of Karabakh’s boundaries. On the contrary, the central and northern parts of Karabakh are still occupied by Azerbaijan. As for NKR’s right to self-determination, the Azerbaijanis themselves have recognized this right on several occasions. The already recognized right to self-determination of peoples should be respected,” Professor Aleksander Manasyan argued.