By Ani Grigoryan and Sareen Habeshian
The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is one of the most important issues in Armenia’s domestic political agenda. Most of the parties and alliances participating in the December 9 parliamentary elections agree that Karabakh must take part in the peace negotiations, while other parties insist that Karabakh must be de jure unified with the Republic of Armenia.
Here are the party stances on the issue.
The National Progress Party sees one option – a de jure unification with Armenia through a referendum.
The Prosperous Armenia Party stresses international recognition of Karabakh on the basis of consensus. The party highlights the importance of Karabakh’s participation in determining its own fate.
The current party in power, My Step Alliance, considers Karabakh’s participation in the negotiations necessary. The alliance guarantees that any solution to the conflict that is not acceptable to the people of Armenia and Karabakh will not be acceptable for the Armenian government.
The Bright Armenia Party also stresses the importance of Karabakh’s participation in negotiations, and supports the efforts of international mediators, such as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation highlights the importance of the international recognition of Karabakh, as well as Karabakh’s participation in negotiations.
The Republican Party promises to be uncompromising in the issue of Karabakh. The party says it is against the idea of “peace in exchange for territories.” According to the party, this stance will lead to another war.
The We Alliance stresses the importance of international recognition and the inclusion of Karabakh in negotiations.
The Sasna Tsrer Party insists that Karabakh must be de jure unified to Armenia “in accordance with the 1920 decisions of the Paris Peace Conference.” The party suggests creating a new republic and annulling the 1921 Moscow and Kars Treaties, which placed the region of Nakhichevan under the rule of Soviet Azerbaijan.
The Citizen’s Decision Social-Democratic Party states that its goal is to ensure that the citizens of Karabakh have the right to live securely, to be sovereign and to determine their own status.
The Christian-Democratic Rebirth Party says that the Caucasian Bureau of the Communist Party of Russia illegally took Karabakh from Armenia in July 5, 1921. The party says it will work to unite Karabakh with Armenia as a unitary or federal state.
The Rule of Law Party intends to “resolve the issue peacefully, resisting the diplomatic, military and aggressive actions of Azerbaijan.”
