Armenia’s possible steps to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh must be thought out well to prevent any damage to the NKR, Giro Manoyan, Head of the Hay Dat office, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) told journalists December 3, commenting on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement in Astana.

“I hope the President did not mean we were ready to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence only in case of military aggression against it. In that case we will not have an alternative – we will have to declare the joining of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia,” Manoyan said. He pointed out that the issue of recognizing the NKR must be put on the agenda only if the negotiations reach a stalemate.

Manoyan made a positive appraisal of President Sargsyan’s speech, except for the part that makes Nagorno-Karabakh’s recognition conditional on war. “We have no problems with the rest,” he said.