The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has blasted the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group interim U.S. Co-Chair Ambassador Richard Hoagland’s recommendations for the Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh) peace process, calling them “totally unacceptable” and a “non-starter.”
Hoagland held an on-the-record round table discussion regarding the peace settlement at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, DC on Aug. 23. During the discussion, the Ambassador presented his six main points—adapted from the Madrid Principles—for the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict settlement, the Armenian Weekly reports, citing Voice of America’s (VOA) Armenian service.
The six points included a call for the “occupied territories” surrounding Nagorno-Karabagh to be returned to Azerbaijani control.
“There can be no settlement without respect for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, and the recognition that its sovereignty over these territories must be restored,” Hoagland said, according to VOA.
“This is a long-term policy, it’s not connected with this or that co-chair, this is our general policy. Of course, the proposed project is more detailed and extensive, but this is the basis of any reasonable solution, and all parties agree on this issue,” Hoagland added.
“The Administration is tossing out another reckless recipe for Artsakh’s destruction, expecting, it seems, that we don’t understand Armenian history, that we lack 100% solidarity with Artsakh, and that we have no sense at all of our geo-political interests. In a word, that we are idiots. Totally unacceptable. A non-starter,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA in his comments to the Armenian Weekly.
Hamparian went on to say that the “light rewrite” of the unbalanced Madrid Principles heavily rewards an “increasingly aggressive Azerbaijan” and puts all the risks on the Republic of Artsakh.