The rumors saying that the US is supporting the Armenian first president Ter-Petrosyan are not true because it is not in the interests of the United States to support him. And the reason is his stance concerning the Karabakh conflict.
Such idea was said by former deputy foreign affairs minister of Karabakh and former candidate for presidency Arman Melikyan during a press conference organized at the Hayatsk club. He believes that if Ter-Petrosyan came up with a stance not to give the territories, but to keep them, he would be supported by the US. Although he didn’t say where he had heard that Ter-Petrosyan had said that he would give the territories he said that Ter-Petrosyan had not been supported by the United States because of the fact that he could give out the lands. Arman Melikyan, who besides having served as the deputy FM of Karabakh has also served as an adviser to the Karabakhi president, says that he believes neither the US nor Russia are interested in returning the liberated territories by Armenia. From that point of view, according to him the draft proposed by the OSCE MG is more pro-European. He explains his viewpoint by saying that the communication lines lying through Caucasus are more beneficial to Europe to maintain contact with Asian countries and opening new markets, thus Europe is interested in peace guaranteeing security and full operation of those communication lines. He believes that in such case Europe will become a serious competitor for the US and Russia, thus these countries are not interested in security in the region. Accordingly, they are not interested in giving out the lands by Armenia either. Answering to a question whether the US and Russia are not strong enough to develop their interests in the Minsk Group Melikyan said that the US and Russia have it left for the “Armenian parties” to decide (Armenia and Karabakh). A journalist said if Armenia doesn’t become more active in its policy there may be more unpleasant situations like the one we had with the UN resolution. It is also interesting whether the US and Russia will not take this responsibility from the Armenian parties if they ignore them. Arman Melikyan thinks that in such case these countries will do something which will make these parties do what they could do voluntarily before that. He also discussed the possibility of recognizing Karabakh’s independence by Armenia. In answer to a question whether it can be dangerous for Armenia he said that it is dangerous not to do anything as we have done during the past years. He thinks that Armenia should start a process aimed at recognizing Karabakh’s independence. As for Robert Kocharyan’s announcement that Armenia should understand Karabakh’s independence or sign an agreement with it, Melikyan thinks that he would agree with that if it was suggested by prime minister Serzh Sargsyan. The problem is that Arman Melikyan says that president Kocharyan is leaving his duties soon and if he had such intention he could have said that during the past 10 years but not upon leaving his office. According to him, it is supposed that Serzh Sargsyan is inheriting the power from Kocharyan, however he is doing the vice versa and is saying that he is not going to discuss the possibility of recognizing Karabakh’s independence in the near future.
Concerning the media publications writing that the movement led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan has destabilized the inner situation in Armenia, weakened the state, as a result of which there may be more pressure on Armenia in terms of the Karabakh conflict especially by the United States, Arman Melikyan said that such information is aimed at disorienting. He thinks that the authorities should do their best to develop an environment for debates for the purpose of creating a situation in the country, where the possibility of losing the power will not be viewed as a great tragedy. Arman Melikyan also petitioned the radical opposition to be ready for a real debate and perform tolerance. If there are no debates, if the authorities and the opposition don’t compromise, there may be tragic results. In answer to a question whether Arman Melikyan had been suggested to get any positions and what he would do in such case he said that he was going to publish his approaches and political stance in a statement on April 8. He also informed that he had not received an invitation to participate in Serzh Sargsyan’s inauguration on April 9.