KOCHARIAN QUESTIONS EX-PRESIDENT’S KNOWLEDGE OF GEOGRAPHY

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian has questioned today ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian’s knowledge of geography saying a person (Ter-Petrosian) who declares that Azerbaijan is Armenia’s only conduit with the outer world must have vague knowledge of geography.

Kocharian made the remark in a reference to Ter-Petrosian’s words that Armenia’s main conduit to the outside world was Azerbaijan and its railway used to handle 85 percent of Armenia’s external cargo turnover under the Soviets. Ter-Petrosian said this while campaigning in Gegharkunik province on January 30.

Speaking to journalists Robert Kocharian said Azeri railways used to be part of the former Soviet Union’s cargo transportation system and Armenia did not run its own foreign trade at that time.

“This means that some people have poor knowledge of today’s foreign trade structure. Armenia carries out its foreign trade with Georgia and Russia through Georgia and by ferryboats across the Black Sea,” Kocharian said.

He also suggested that Ter-Petrosian’s statement should be looked at from a different perspective.

“Negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continue with Azerbaijan hoping to use oil revenues to archive success and is trying to toughen its stance. Armenia’s ex-presidnet announces that apart from oil advantage Azerbaijan has also geographic advantage over Armenia and is the sole conduit for Armenia to the outer world… If Azeri officials have the same level of geography knowledge it is then clear that they will try to further toughen their stance over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In general, Ter-Petrosian’s liking of Azerbaijan is beginning suspicious giving rise to a set of questions,” Kocharian said.

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