Davit Babayan says handing territories similar to committing suicide

Aysor.am has conducted interview with spokesperson for the president of Artsakh Republic Davit Babayan about Artsakh conflict settlement.

- Mr Babayan, first deputy chairman of the committee of the State Duma for the CIS and relations with Russian nationals abroad Konstantin Zatulin stated that Karabakh conflict might be regulated easier than any other conflict in the territory of former USSR by handing territories to Azerbaijan against recognition of Artsakh’s independence by Baku. What is the position of official Stepanakert over this statement?

- When it is being spoken about easy options it is the same like to say life ends one day, what will happen if we just commit suicide and put an end to it. Why do we suffer for decades? What is the sense of it? The same is here, what does it mean the easiest way is to hand the territories. What is this option necessary for? For pogroms of the Armenian people. Definitely, it is the easiest and most effective way of elimination of the Armenian people. This is the way Azerbaijan dreams of.

After Artsakh’s security weakens, it is possible to solve all issues in seconds and create completely new geopolitical situation in the region. But we do not agree to this. It is about future of our people. Great Andrey Sakharov said, “For Azerbaijan Karabakh issue is a matter of ambition, for Armenians it is the matter of life and death.” We cannot weaken our security and wait for Azerbaijan’s caprices.

- Mr Babayan, head of the committee on Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Leonid Kalashnikov stated that Azerbaijan’s membership to Eurasian integration structures will promote settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Do you share this opinion?

- First I want to hail the circumstance that different Russian officials want peaceful settlement of the conflict. But the issue is that the EAEU is not a centralized structure to be able to regulate the issue. Even the Soviet Union did not manage to do it. As of now, the only option is freezing the conflict, which we have now, as there is no way out yet.

Azerbaijanis claim that Karabakh is theirs, that they must drink tea in Shushi. And what should we say? Should we tell them come, drink tea and recognize us? We will provide building for Azerbaijani embassy in Shushi. Let them come and drink as much tea as they want there as a sign of relations between two independent states.

- How the official Stepanakaert assesses the level of discussions of Artsakh issue at the meetings of the Armenian authorities with high ranking EU officials, and particularly the discussion of the issue at the meeting between the Armenian PM and Vice-President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

- We highly evaluate each such meeting and say that more such meetings are held, the better. They promote the maintenance of peace and stability and ensure continuity of negotiation process. Another thing is that for comprehensive regulation a number of steps should be undertaken while the only impediment is Azerbaijan with its hatred toward Armenia.

- Mogherini said that she backs Nikol Pashinyan’s complete involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process without pre-conditions. What preconditions is it being spoken about, in your opinion?

- The preconditions come from Azerbaijan, while Azerbaijan has few preconditions. I think Mogherini’s words are messages addressed to Azerbaijan. The only impediment to peaceful settlement of the conflict is Azerbaijan.