Nagorno Karabakh seeks common cause with Pridnestrovie

A delegation from Nagorno Karabakh's parliament (shown) supports PMR, while Armenia strongly criticizes Moldova

TIRASPOL (Tiraspol Times) - Pridnestrovie, also known as Transdnistria, has much in common with Nagorno Karabakh. That was the conclusion by a top NKR Armenian delegate to Tiraspol, speaking at a news conference in a run-up to Sunday's presidential elections.

" - The two countries have much in common. Both of them are self-sufficient states with all inseparable attributes," Yuri Hayrapetian, the chairman of the committee on state and legal issues at the Nagorno Karabakh National Assembly, told a news conference in Tiraspol. Yuri Hayrapetian and NKR government representative Garry Jahangirian arrived in Tiraspol to observe the presidential election due on December 10.

The NKR delegates are going to attend the polling stations and meet with the Armenian community of Pridnestrovie, often alternately also called Transdniester in English or Transnistria in Romanian.

" - Both Transdnistria and Nagorno Karabakh are not yet perceived by the international community as full subjects of international law. But both states formed and asserted their independence and have survived bloody wars. Both are under economic blockades, and both have experienced economic and political hardships,” Hayrapetian said.

However, he also remarked that unlike Pridnestrovie, Nagorno Karabakh has a supporter which defends its interests at international level, renders it financial assistance, and has a common border with NKR. He was referring to the Republic of Armenia. And although Moldova is often quick to assert that in Pridnestrovie's case, Russia is that kind of supporter, Hayrapetian pointed out that this was not the case. Russia does not unequivocally defend Pridnestrovie's interests at the international level, does not automatically render financial assistance, and does not in the least share any kind of common border with Pridnestrovie. Although Pridnestrovie does consider Russia a friend, the relationship is much less clear-cut than in the case of Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.

" - The other difference is complete absence of any interaction between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, the borders with which make the front line and actually we are still in state of war. At least in this case, Transdnistria and Moldova has maintained some kind of dialogue. In our case, the negotiations with Azerbaijan proceeded limply. Instead, we decided to build our state in accordance with our interests,” Yuri Hayrapetian said.

Armenia criticizes Moldova

Meanwhile, Armenia has issued a strongly worded statement against Moldova and two other states, noting that Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are meddling into an issue that doesn't concern them.

" - Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are playing into the hands of Azerbaijan by meddling into an issue which does not concern them," said Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian when commenting on GUAM’s statement about referendum in Nagorno Karabakh.
In his words, the Moldova-backed statement does not have anything with reality.

" - During a decade and a half, in a situation of no-peace and no-war, and to their credit, the people and authorities of Nagorno Karabakh have built a lawful, well-regulated internal governance system. They have built political institutions; through elections they have selected their own authorities and developed a legislative framework. Today, they have recognized the need for a basic law, and chosen the internationally accepted practice of a referendum as the only acceptable way to collectively adopt that basic law. Azerbaijan claims that exercising a vote is an obstruction to the peace process. Just the opposite. At the core of the negotiations to reach a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination. What really obstructs the process is the Azerbaijani overreaction to Karabakh’s democratic activities, their refusal to engage Nagorno Karabakh in peace talks, their repeated militaristic calls and their persistent efforts to sidetrack the Minsk Group negotiation process," reports the press office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

On Sunday, Pridnestrovie's voters go to the polls in a democratic election to freely and fairly choose a president. It is the fourth such election in the young country's 16 year history. (With information from PanArmenian Network)

See also:
» 98.6% of Nagorno Karabakh's voters choose independence