Azernews.Az

Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian recently said that if the Armenia-Azerbaijan talks on settling the more than 15-year conflict ends in failure, Yerevan will have no choice but to recognize the "independence" of Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azeri region under Armenian occupation.
"Armenia`s position on the conflict remains unchanged. But Yerevan should state, as soon as possible, that the fact that Upper Garabagh`s independence has not been recognized and that such a request has not been made to any other state so far, is because the principle of self-determination of the Upper Garabagh people lies at the core of peace talks," the ex-minister claimed.
Armenia, which is pursuing a policy of occupation and ethnic cleansing, has occupied over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized territory for over the past decade.
Touching on the unrest in Georgia and the recent Russian invasion, he said the Armenian government would be unable to take a proper stance on Moscow`s August 26 recognition of the independence of Georgia`s rebellious regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia since, "we are talking not about Abkhazia and South Ossetia but relations between Russia and the United States."
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on August 26 recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The move heightened tensions in the volatile Caucasus region and put a further strain on Moscow`s relations with the West. Tbilisi denounced the decision as being in violation of international law. The U.S. and numerous European powers also condemned the move.