Naxcivan Armenians call on OSCE mediators to recognize them as negotiating side
Noyan Tapan news agency
15 Dec 03
Yerevan, 15 December: A forum of Nakhichevanis [from the Azerbaijani
exclave of Naxcivan; Naxcivan is the Azeri version of the name]
was held on 13 December and adopted a statement connected with the
possible discussion of a corridor via Megri at talks on Karabakh.
The statement said that the corridor linking Nakhichevan with
Azerbaijan through Megri [in Armenia] could be the subject of talks
only after revision of the 1921 Moscow and Kars treaties. The forum
also demanded that if this problem were to be discussed during the
negotiations, the Megri national council of Nakhichevan's Armenians
be recognized as a party to the negotiations.
The statement, in particular, said: The idea of a corridor via Megri
to link Azerbaijan with the Nakhichevan [Naxcivan] Autonomous Republic
was mooted at negotiations on solving the Artsakh [Karabakh] issue.
By putting forward this proposal, they are trying to impose on Armenia
the old pan-Turkist programme of ensuring that Turkey has ties
with the Caucasus. It was reduced to nil thanks to the victorious
liberation struggle of Armenians, led by Garegin Nzhde in 1919-20,
for south Armenia (Zangezur).
In this connection the forum of Nakhichevanis would like to inform
all the interested parties and diplomatic circles of the following
means of self-defence:
1. Discussion of the Megri corridor issue at the negotiations on
Artsakh is a fresh attempt at examining the Nakhichevan issue. However,
in line with international law it is impossible to go back to the
issue of Nakhichevan without revising first the Russian-Turkish Moscow
treaty of 16 March 1921 and the Kars treaty of 13 October of the same
year, imposed on the government of Soviet Armenia as a result of this
illegal bargain, both in connection with the existing status quo and
the randomly-determined borders.
During 1921-89 all Armenians left Nakhichevan region following its
transferral to Azerbaijan's "guardianship".
2. We call on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen to recognize the
authorized elected body of the National Council of Nakhichevan
Armenians as a party to the talks on the settlement of the Artsakh
problem whenever the Megri issue is discussed. The main problem for
Nakhichevan's Armenians is that their views should be taken into
account in the event of the borders being redrawn or "a special"
status being granted to their historical motherland and their right
to free entry to or departure from their motherland, guaranteed by
international organizations, should be secured.
3. Taking into consideration the barbarous destruction of more than
3,000 khachkars (cross stones) and some churches in the medieval
Armenian town of Juga, we would like to appeal to international
organizations to protect these monuments and prevent their further
destruction. We call on the Armenian National Assembly to make a
similar appeal to the Council of Europe.
Umarım senin de iyi geçmiştir.