YEREVAN. Dec 17 (Interfax) - Armenia favors a peaceful settlement of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh but will act resolutely if its security is threatened, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said.
"The problem of Karabakh should be resolved in an exclusively peaceful way through negotiations. However, we are prepared to give a resolute response to any threats to our security," Sargsyan said on the 14th extraordinary congress of the Republican Party, which he leads.
"Considering Azerbaijan's destructive policy and the threat of the use of force, guarantees of the Nagorno-Karabakh people's security will be increased in any possible way," he said.
"The negotiations will be continued, but Azerbaijan's refusal to withdraw snipers from the contact line and to set up mechanisms to investigate border incidents and its encouragement of xenophobia and racism are not promoting confidence building measures and are heating the situation in the entire region," Sargsyan said.
Nagorno-Karabakh should be an equitable party in negotiations with Azerbaijan, he said.
"The arrangement of efficient negotiations in a constructive atmosphere will be possible if the conflicting parties ensure non-use of force through international guarantees," Sargsyan said.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a part of Europe, Sargsyan said. "We will make more efforts to bolster Nagorno-Karabakh's contacts with the international community. We will combine our efforts to contribute to the establishment and development of an independent and democratic Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.