Once again, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are an instrument in the hands of Azerbaijan, by meddling into an issue which does not concern them.

A statement by GUAM on the upcoming constitutional referendum in Nagorno Karabakh is misguided. What is being argued is far from the truth.

During this decade and a half, in a situation of no-peace and no-war, and to their credit, the people and authorities of Nagorno Karabakh have built a lawful, well-regulated internal governance system. They have built political institutions; through elections they have selected their own authorities and developed a legislative framework. Today, they have recognized the need for a basic law, and chosen the internationally accepted practice of a referendum as the only acceptable way to collectively adopt that basic law.

Azerbaijan claims that exercising a vote is an obstruction to the peace process.

Just the opposite. At the core of the negotiations to reach a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination.

What really obstructs the process is the Azerbaijani overreaction to Karabakh's democratic activities, their refusal to engage Nagorno Karabakh in peace talks, their repeated militaristic calls and their persistent efforts to sidetrack the Minsk Group negotiations process.

For Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to dismiss the democratic aspirations of the people of Nagorno Karabakh and blame them for choosing to behave democratically is counterproductive.