YEREVAN, Dec.29 (ArmenPress) - According to Karabagh foreign minister Naira Melkumian, the international community is currently treating the Karabagh problem more correctly than ever before. As confirmation of this, she recalled an international forum held in Washington in May this year, at which it was proposed that ways should be found to recognize the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic.

This proposal put forward, in particular, by Prof. Michael Sharf and Paul William was given the name of a "model of interim recognition". This model proposes that Armenia and Azerbaijan manage to resolve some issues, as a result of which the international community would recognize Karabagh's sovereignty.

Over a certain period, Azerbaijan and Karabagh should prove by their actions that normal relations can be established between them.

In an exclusive interview with Armenpress, the Karabagh foreign minister noted in her summary of the results of the Karabagh peace process for 2000 that one positive step was that agreements already reached are being maintained, and the dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents is continuing.

According to Melkumian, today the international community realizes that, without the Karabagh's consent, no agreement can be signed on the settlement of the conflict, although the Azerbaijani side continues to ignore this. Full talks, i.e. with Karabagh's participation, have not taken place.

The Karabagh foreign minister expressed concern over the fact that calls to solve the problem by means of war are heard with increasing frequency in Azerbaijan, and stressed the need next year to confirm, in some form, the cease-fire regime which was established in 1994.

In Melkumian's opinion, "instability in Azerbaijan is a threat to the entire region. Any conflict can be settled if the internal political situation in conflicting countries is stable."

The Karabagh foreign minister said that "Karabagh has no territorial claims on Azerbaijan. We agree to sit down at the negotiating table, discuss and solve with Azerbaijan the current problems on the basis of compromises. However, they cannot demand that Karabagh cede everything it has gained over these years.

This is shortsighted and unrealistic."