The self-termination of most of the 192 U.N. member-states are precedents for Nagorno-Karabakh’s self-determination, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told a news conference Jan. 14.

Nagorno-Karabakh self-determination process follows the way passed by the international community, Minister Nalbandian said. The documents based on the three principles – territorial integrity, peoples’ right to self-determination and nonuse of force of threat of force – are on the negotiating table. The sides are also negotiating the six elements envisaging the determination of Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status on the basis of Nagorno-Karabakh people’s free will, interim status, which implies preservation of status quo if it is internationally recognized. The six elements also provides for security guarantees, land communication and return of refugees and territories. The Minister emphasized the fact that the documents do not specify the territories.

“At present, the Armenian side’s position is in line with that of the international community. The international community says all the three principles and six elements are a single whole. The Armenian side says the same, stressing it accepts all the elements as a basis for negotiations. What does Azerbaijan say? They do not do what they say,” Nalbandian said.

The Minister pointed out that the Armenian side will not accept any changes in the negotiation format, as they will be of no benefit.

He qualified Azerbaijan’s policy as short-sighted, as Azerbaijan prohibits foreign citizens from “such hysteria cannot be understood. I hail al those visiting Nagorno-Karabakh despite Azerbaijan’s violent reaction. Under the circumstances it is unclear why Azerbaijan does not allow foreign citizens to visit Nakhichevan, a territory under its control. May be they do not allow tourists to visit Nakhichevan to prevent them from seeing the destroyed Armenian cultural monuments and asking: “Where is the people that created all these things?” “In any case this shortsighted policy will not produce any results,” Minister Nalbandian said.