Kosovo’s Independence Can Be Precedent to Recognizing Nagorno Karabakh
Jul 25th, 2010 | Category: Lead ArticleBy Alexander Tagvoryan
Dmitry Medvedev with Ilham Aliyev and Serge Sarkisian in Moscow, November 2008
YEREVAN, July 24–The International Court of Justice said Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia (that took place in 2008) was legal.
During the court hearing, the President of the Court Hisashi Owada said: “The court has concluded above that the adoption of the declaration of independence of February 17, 2008, did not violate general international law, Security Council Resolution 1244, or the constitutional framework.” Therefore, accepting Kosovo’s declaration didn’t conflict with the international law — 14 judges voted, with 10 of them for the ruling and four against.
On February 17, 2008, the Albanian authorities in Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, supported by the US and several EU countries. Today, Kosovo’s independence is recognized by 69 countries out of 192 UN member states.
The International Court of Justice was established to settle disputes between states, and this issue was initiated by Serbia, which claims the independence of Kosovo is against the law.
The court’s decision is not binding and it has an advisory nature, yet the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina, as well as many other countries with similar territorial disputes were impatiently looking forward to it. Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh were waiting, too, because this issue could help solve the Karabakh conflict.
The Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Artur Tovmasyan said that this precedent should be taken as a basis by the Armenian Assembly to start the process of recognition of independence of Nagorno Karabakh. “I think the decision of the Court is the best opportunity [to start the process],” he said on Friday.
The Chairman of the Forum of Armenian Unions of Europe (FASE), Ashot Grigorian, thinks that now it is the best time for the worldwide Armenian lobby organizations and the Armenian Diaspora to start working on the recognition of independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, following the example of Kosovo.
He also said that the decision of the International Court of Justice was a serious “blow” to the statement of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, according to which, Armenians can’t have two independent states. Yet, Albanians, Turks and Armenians do have two independent states.
The President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan said that official Stepanakert will continue to work on the international recognition of the independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic, despite the events regarding Kosovo.
“If the recognition of Kosovo’s independence contributes to the international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh, we will welcome it, but regardless of that process we’ll continue to work on the recognition of Karabakh’s independence,” he told journalists late Friday.
Yerevan Report
Photo credit: www.kremlin.ru
