Azernews.Az

Armenian Prime Minister, president-elect Serzh Sarkisian has said his country should recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
"No matter how paradoxical it may sound, Azerbaijan should recognize the right of Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh's people to self-determination, while Armenia should recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," Sarkisian said in an interview with Russia's Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
"At first sight, these issues do not comply with one another, but I am confident that this is not the case if we take a closer look. By understanding each other's problems, we could reach a reasonable compromise based on that framework," he said.
He said a negotiated settlement to the long-standing conflict over Upper Garabagh was the only option.
"I have always backed conflict settlement based on mutual compromises and in peace, and this hasn't changed. Compromises should be thought-through and logical," Sarkisian said.
Sarkisian said he was born and raised in Upper Garabagh and held senior positions there. "Naturally, I am well-versed on the problems faced by the region. During my pre-election campaign, I stated my position on the conflict as well, and the votes I gained prove that the voters are in favor of my approach to the conflict resolution."
Sarkisian said he did not consider Kosovo as a precedent for the Garabagh conflict, noting that each conflict had its own roots, dynamics and solution. "However, we welcome the realization of nations' right to self-determination in any part of the world."