Recently Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian announced that "Armenia’s first and foremost concern is to determine Nagorno Karabakh’s status and by saying "security" we understand a land connection with Armenia." Azerbaijani websites were quick to comment on the Armenian FM’s statement stressing that Karabakh has always had a land connection with Armenia even when it was a part of Azerbaijan. "Lachin has always been a land," an Azerbaijani political commentator observed and added: "Things stand differently when we speak about a border with Armenia. I think Armenia should cede a territory equivalent to Lachin, for example Meghri," added the commentator. Following the decoding of the Madrid Principles, Former RA Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunyan, repeatedly expressed his concern over the issue, noting that "the regulation of the Karabakh conflict on the Madrid Principles might lead to the exchange of the two territories under question and the Armenia side will face a dilemma: the country will have to choose between Lachin and Meghri. "A1 +" asked the former defense minister to comment on the remarks of the Azerbaijani side. "If we surrender the seven territories, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic will have the status of an enclave with Azerbaijan having recognized Karabakh’s sovereignty. On the other hand, if we raise the issue of a land connection between Armenia and Karabakh, the issue of Meghri will be laid on the table. Azerbaijan will seek a connection with Nakhichevan through Meghri as Armenia seeks to take back Lachin," said Mr. Harutiunyan. At the same time Vagharshak Harutiunyan stressed that there is a difference between Lachin and Meghri. "Nakhichevan is not an enclave. In case Karabakh does not have a border with Armenia, Karabakhi Armenians will start resettling, therefore, it is impermissible to talk about the resolution of the conflict on the Madrid Principles." The former minister also mentioned that the resolution of the conflict with the Meghri version is favorable for Turkey as well. By that they are receiving a land corridor with Azerbaijan and Asia, which fits into their strategic goals.
