In a twenty-minute interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Armenian Service, RSC Director Richard Giragosian assessed the significance of the 2 September 24th anniversary of the “declaration on the proclamation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” as well as the latest developments regarding Azerbaijani-Russian relations and the military situation in the region.
.Interviewed by RFE/RL’s Tatevik Lazaryan, Giragosian noted that “although it is correct and proper to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the declaration of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, too much still needs to be done to strengthen democracy and deepen economic development in both Karabakh and Armenia before anyone can enjoy the luxury of celebrating such a milestone.” More controversially, he also explained his opposition to the ideal of independence for Nagorno-Karabakh, arguing that “Karabakh fails to meet the standards for becoming a viable independent state,” adding that “in terms of both economics and demography, Karabakh should not pursue outright independence but is better suited to unification with Armenia proper.” He also argued that such a path toward unification with Armenia would “offer a more effective military defense and strengthen security guarantees,” and would be “more readily accepted by the international community than outright independence.”