The August war in South Ossetia brought the issue on self-determination to the forefront. Artsruni Aghajanyan, Secretary of the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) parliamentary faction told NEWS.am.

According to him, the international community did not consider territorial changes necessary, but the August war proved the significance of the issue. Kosovo was the first to exercise the right of nations to self-determination and some time is required for the international community to accept the process.

Commenting on OSCE MG Co-Chair Matthew Bryza’s statement that Kosovo cannot serve as a precedent for Nagorno-Karabakh, as Serbia was recognized as an aggressor, Aghajanyan said: “Any process has main and related aspects. As to Kosovo, the main aspect is self-determination, the rest are just related ones. Self-determination cannot be recognized in one case, and not taken into account in another. Conflicts between peoples cannot be settled differently,” he stated. Aghajanyan added that Russia and West strive to maintain their influence over the region and their interests clash in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Both sides seek only to a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he said.

Commenting of RF President Dmitry Medvedev’s statement expressing concern over Georgia’s repeated threats to restore its territorial integrity by force, Aghajanyan pointed out that the Armenian side should not be concerned over the fact that the Russian leader did not mention similar warlike statements made by Azerbaijan. “He was speaking of the
August war and singled out Georgia. But Russia has not forgotten the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and that country has repeatedly pronounced for a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he said.