Yerevan, 27 August 2008, ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Press Office — In response to a question from a reporter from Republic of Armenia daily, regarding Russia’s recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Armen Rustamyan, Chairman of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Council of Armenia, stated:

“It is a complicated situation for us. We respect the right to self-determination; we have and will continue to defend the right of the people of Karabakh to determine their own destiny. The independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been recognized by the Russian Federation, one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and our strategic partner, while the other two co-chairs have recognized the independence of Kosovo.

“On the other hand, the issue concerns our neighbor Georgia, with whom normal relations are of vital interest to our country.

“In these conditions, we think, that the Republic of Armenia should not act hastily, as it did in the case of Kosovo. Armenia has not even recognized the independence of Karabakh, because it doesn’t consider that the international community’s ability to resolve the issue peacefully has been exhausted. We think, that the possibilities to peacefully resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict have also not been exhausted and that it is possible and it is the way to proceed. The Republic of Armenia cannot discuss the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia outside the context of the Karabakh issue.”