Interview of NKR Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan to Mediamax news agency

- Mr. Minister, you noted in your yesterday’s statement that "the restoration of full-fledged negotiations with the immediate and direct participation of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in all its stages is a mandatory condition for achieving real progress in the settlement process". Can we say the Azerbaijan’s position reduces the chances of reaching a compromise in determining the future NKR status?

- The NKR status has long been determined by the Nagorno Karabakh people through free and legitimate expression of will at the independence referendum in 1991. There can’t be return to the past. The NKR’s independence and security can’t be bargained and we have repeatedly stated about it.

Thus, we suppose all the efforts should be focused on working out mechanisms and conditions for peaceful co-existence of two independent states - Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan - formed as a result of the USSR collapse.

That’s why we think Azerbaijan’s earliest recognition of the current realities and NKR’s return to the negotiations table will allow ensuring progress in the settlement process.

- Azerbaijan constantly raises the issue of the so-called “occupied” territories. What is your vision of the solution to the problem?

- If we talk about territories liberated during the war imposed on the Artsakh people, they make inseparable part of the Nagorno Karabakh and the fact is fixed in the NKR Constitution.

We shouldn’t also forget about the NKR territories which were captured by Azerbaijan during the military actions and are still under its control.

The issue should be considered taking into account the above mentioned and in the context of restoring the historical justice and ensuring the NKR security in all its aspects.