Some political and public figures’ statements that Nagorno-Karabakh has never asked Armenia to recognize it are a serious challenge to both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to all Armenians, Raffi Hovhannisyan, Chairman of the Heritage Party, told journalists on Oct. 29.

As to why the party initiated the bill if Nagorno-Karabakh has not asked Armenia, Hovhannisyan said that, after the 1991 referendum, the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities applied to all countries for recognition. “If the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities changed their position later, the country’s President is supposed to be informed of this rather than a Parliament member. Such a statement is a great challenge to all Armenians, and one should think well and be cautious before making it. The Heritage party did its best for the issue to be put – and remain - on the big agenda. We have decided to wait until the OSCE Summit in Astana for our representatives to be, as they say, ‘flexible’, after which the issue will be put to the vote.

As to the opinion that the initiative to recognize the NKR was suggested from the outside, Hovhannisyan said: “If any forces outside Armenia want the NKR to be recognized, we must appreciate such support.”