Sharmazanov to Azerbaijani colleague: To draw parallels between  Karabakh, Kurdish and Catalan processes is illogical and illiterate

ArmInfo.To draw parallels between the Karabakh conflict and the Kurdish and Catalan processes is not only illogical, but also illiterate. Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov said in a conversation with ArmInfo correspondent in response to the statement of his Azerbaijani colleague Bahar Muradova that the international community should apply identical approaches to all these three processes, rather than being guided by double standards.

"How it is possible to  draw parallels between these processes ,  these are  three completely different problems: the process of  self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh is exclusively legal and  legitimate, it fully corresponds to the letter and norms of both the  Constitution of the Soviet Union and international law."  Nagorno-Karabakh at one time was self-determined in accordance with  the same legal norms of the Constitution of the USSR as the 15  republics.The Constitution of the USSR gave the right to autonomous  subjects on the basis of a referendum to determine their fate, which  was done. I Azerbaijan casts doubt on the legality of the  self-determination of Artsakh, it means that calls into question the  legitimacy and independence and the independence of other former  Soviet republics, "Sharmazanov explained.

Regarding the dissatisfaction with the activities of OSCE Minsk Group  and the need to change the mediation format, the Armenian  vice-speaker stressed that Azerbaijan is pouring water into the mill  of Turkey, which is trying in every possible way to become a mediator  in the Karabakh settlement. "But this will never happen, Turkey does  not have a place in the OSCE MG format, since this country frankly  supports one of the conflicting parties - Azerbaijan, which casts  doubt on its objectivity as an intermediary, moreover, Ankara is  known for its destabilizing policies in the region. I'm not talking  about this, right after the April war in the zone of the Karabakh  conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Turkey  voiced calls not to peace but to war, "he said, stressing that Baku  in the current situation AI should not blame the OSCE Minsk Group,  and himself, since he does not fulfill its obligations, thereby  torpedoing the negotiation process.