The Armenian Parliament has started discussing the bill on recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) submitted by the Heritage Party.

The Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovhannisyan, who submitted the document, stated that the recognition of NKR by Armenia is a call of the times – Stepanakert has called on the international community to recognize the NKR. According to Hovhannisyan, the bill is supposed to clearly present Armenia’s position on assistance in state construction in Nagorno-Karabakh and in ensuring the NKR’s security. “Armenia must clearly present its position to the international community. The world must see not only words, but also deeds and strategy. We should have recognized the NKR as far back as 1992, when a referendum on independence was held; in 1994, when the ceasefire was established; when the international community recognized Kosovo, and Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia. I think that it is not late to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh even now,” Hovhannisyan said. He stressed that Armenia’s recognizing NKR is less dangerous than not recognizing. “I do not think that Yerevan recognizing the NKR’s independence may have any influence on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process within the OSCE Minsk Group. The negotiations are in stalemate now,” Hovhannisyan said. He disagrees with coalition parties’ statements that the Heritage Party’s initiative is untimely and inadvisable.