On the even of the 19th anniversary of Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence, the Azg newspaper interviewed the ex-speaker of the RA Parliament Tigran Torosyan.

“The spring of 2008, afforded an opportunity to correct the Armenian side’s main mistake. In November 2007, the Madrid principles were taken as a basis for settlement. The document shows an essential difference from all the previous ones: it stipulates for the right to self-determination as one of the settlement principles. Of course, it also mentions the territorial integrity principles,” Torosyan said.

“Suffice it to say that the French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier explained the need for both the principles in Baku. He pointed out that the conflict has two components: an Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, in which case the territorial integrity principle is in effect, and the internal one, like Kosovo, a conflict between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. In this case, the self-determination principle is in effect. By incorporating the right to self-determination in the Madrid principles, the negotiators, as well as the Co-Chairs created a good basis for the NKR to return to the negotiating table. Moreover, two other factors were added in the spring of 2008. One of them was the presidential election in Armenia and inauguration of the newly elected president. The other is that the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities have clearly stated over the past two years that they will not accept any document drafted without their participation. In fact, Nagorno-Karabakh made a diplomatic statement that Armenia was not to represent its interests any longer. The newly elected Armenian president had all the grounds to state that Nagorno-Karabakh must act as independent negotiator from that moment. The Co-Chairs established the right to self-determination as one of the settlement principles and could not have rejected the first step to apply this international norm,” Torosyan said.