If, in 1997, Levon Ter-Petrosyan had been sure that, in exchange for some territories, Azerbaijan would agree to Nagorno-Karabakh`s independence and security guarantees, he would have made a compromise despite being dissuaded by Stepanakert or his milieu, Vahram Atanesyan, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh, told Armenian News-NEWS.am as he commented on Ter-Petrosyan`s interview with the BBC. In his interview, Armenia`s first president said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was possible to settle in 1997 if the Armenian side had agreed to some territorial concessions in exchange for interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The way of resolving the conflict mentioned by Ter-Petrosyan is available now as well - once we agree to it. But we must find out whether such a solution is in line with the Armenian people`s expectations and create guarantees of security and sovereignty. If Ter-Petrosyan has been sure of that, he would have agreed to such a solution despite Stepanakert and his milieu," Atanesyan said.