Recognition of Nagorno-Karbakh as an independent state has been on the agenda since the day of Armenia’s independence, Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian told the reporters on Thursday. He also added that we had lost numerous opportunities. “Personally I, and Heritage party on the whole, is confident that it should have happened back in 1992 when Armenia joined the UN,” he said.

According to him, the right time to recognize NKR was signing of a ceasefire agreement. “Recognition of Kosovo is a striking example. Prior to Kosovo’s recognition, draft bill on Karabakh should have entered parliament’s agenda, but the window of opportunity was not used,” Hovannisian said. Several changes in the National Assembly’s regulations enabled the opposition to put forward certain draft bills ahead of schedule.

Hovannisian noted that some people consider themselves serious politicial experts, saying that the draft bill will hinder the peace process. He informed the journalists that after discussion in the parliament, Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan requested to postpone the vote for several days.  

“Unless the issue enters the agenda before the next four-day session, the vote will take place,” he concluded.