Scottish Referendum and Nagorno-Karabakh

tert.am, 18 September 2014

A spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakh’s president says they closely follow the independence referendum in Scotland, considering the process an important precedent in the history of self-determination campaigns.

Speaking to Tert.am, David Babayan said he finds the civilized conduct of voting a very symbolic opportunity allowing the people in Scotland to exercise their right to freedom of expression.

“Britain's central government does not in any way hinder the conduct of the referendum. Though they bring arguments, they do not absolutely exercise any pressure. From this point of view, it is a very important achievement and development. So, Britain, at large, can be a very good example,” he noted.

tert.am, 18 September 2014

A spokesperson for Nagorno-Karabakh’s president says they closely follow the independence referendum in Scotland, considering the process an important precedent in the history of self-determination campaigns.

Speaking to Tert.am, David Babayan said he finds the civilized conduct of voting a very symbolic opportunity allowing the people in Scotland to exercise their right to freedom of expression.

“Britain's central government does not in any way hinder the conduct of the referendum. Though they bring arguments, they do not absolutely exercise any pressure. From this point of view, it is a very important achievement and development. So, Britain, at large, can be a very good example,” he noted.

Babayan said he thinks that the referendum itself is already a precedent regardless of the outcome. Asked about his expectation, the official replied, “We will, certainly, use that precedent, but there is one delicate moment here: Artsakh has already exercised its right to self-determination. What we need is the recognition of the self-determined and accomplished state.”

Babayan said they will rely on that precedent in future peace efforts, using it as a balancing mechanism between the principles of territorial integrity and national self-determination.

He said he expects today’s referendum to be of landmark importance both in historical and legal terms, as well as from the point of view of moral victories.

“But to expect Scotland to recognize Artsakh after gaining independence is not naturally timely today. Our recognition is unrelated to Scotland. Regardless of everything, we will continue our efforts towards building an independent state and making it recognizable by the international community. ”

Commenting on the Scottish referendum and its possible impact on Nagorno-Karabakh, the political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan said he doesn’t think the western community hinders processes of self-determination.

“It is an interesting political process which, naturally, applies to all conflicts in a certain way. From this point of view, the experience we can have as a result of today’s referendum is, of course, a serious political factor that can impact on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Anyway, despite the referendum outcomes, one thing is clear: peoples’ right to self-determination is a perceivable and acceptable phenomenon, and the fact that the official London does not hinder the conduct of today’s referendum already demonstrates that the right to self-determination must be fully exercised everywhere,” he added.

The politician said, “I am more than convinced that Artsakh’s independence is a process that has already been realized from the legal perspective. From the point of view of the negotiations, the legal aspect is fully guaranteed. So we do not need any precedent. The problem has to do with the perceptions, and I believe that the Scottish referendum will really help change those perceptions,” he explained.