Category: 2023

Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The ring around Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], which has been besieged for three months [now by Azerbaijan], is tightening; along with the deepening of the humanitarian crisis, the security threats have intensified.

We learned from our sources in Artsakh that the adversary [i.e., Azerbaijan] has gathered a large number of forces in Martakert, Shushi, in the area bordering the Kashen mine, thus trying to exert psychological pressure on the people of Artsakh and push the Artsakh authorities to agree to the demand of the Azerbaijani authorities for reintegration with Azerbaijan.

And yesterday, [Azerbaijani president] Aliyev's staff proposed to hold a meeting with a similar agenda in [Azerbaijani capital] Baku, but it is noteworthy that the official Stepanakert did not respond to that proposal until the evening, and the [Artsakh] president's press service left our phone calls—to clarify the position of the Artsakh authorities—unanswered.

Aggressive rhetoric of Azerbaijan has constantly increased. It has increased before the 2020 war, after it, and I believe that yes, now there is a very high probability of escalation [of tension] both along the border of Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this during his press conference today.

"My conclusion is from Azerbaijan's increasingly aggressive rhetoric and there are certain other data. We are convinced and know 100 percent that it is not Armenia that initiates aggressive actions; and this is the reason why Armenia decided to invite EU observers. Realizing that we are getting questions, we said that ‘we don't mind if you send observers so that you don't need to get our information, you have information on the spot,’" said Pashinyan.

He noted that the initial agreement in Prague in October 2022 was that there would be EU observers on both sides of the border or the line of contact.

"Moreover, the president of Azerbaijan agreed in the presence of everyone, later he refused that option. Azerbaijan accused us of having an army in Nagorno-Karabakh. I said that we do not have an army in Nagorno-Karabakh. I said, this debate has no end, we can do the following: invite international observers to Nagorno-Karabakh, let them assess the situation on the spot and come up with a report. Azerbaijan rejected this option. Even today, I believe that the international community should record that the risk of escalation [of tension] is very high. And taking into account the closure of the Lachin corridor [by Azerbaijan] and the existence of a [resulting] humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the obvious preparations of Azerbaijan to carry out [Armenian] ethnic cleansing, our position continues to be that it would be a good opportunity to send a fact-finding mission to the Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor," said Pashinyan.

The Armenian Prime Minister stated that the most important factor here is the human and people's will.

"The most important factor here is the will of the Nagorno-Karabakh people to live in their own homeland. By and large, this is what we are talking about. Azerbaijan is trying to break the will of the Nagorno-Karabakh people to live in their homeland. If that will remains steadfast, it is the foundation of all subsequent events.

If anyone thinks that the will of the Armenian people to have an independent state can be broken, I don't think so. We must show our will to have an independent sovereign state.

It is very important that we notice and evaluate those actions aimed at weakening the will to have an independent, sovereign state, which in all cases have an external source. There is no such source within Armenia. If there are such manifestations, they have an external source.

It is very important to prove that we are not to blame for the escalation [of tension]. We have solved that problem along the border. That mechanism exists in Nagorno-Karabakh as well, which I hope will work properly. It’s about the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the facts being publicized by them."

The CSTO is leaving the Republic of Armenia willingly or unwillingly, and that worries us. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this during his press conference today.

"When the CSTO chairman had visited Armenia in 2020, he told me in a conversation that there is a fear in the CSTO that the Republic of Armenia will leave the CSTO. I said: I think that fear is not appropriate, the other fear that exists in the Republic of Armenia is appropriate; that is, CSTO will leave the Republic of Armenia. My assessment is that the CSTO is leaving the Republic of Armenia willingly or unwillingly, and that worries us," said Pashinyan.

According to the PM, Armenia would be happy to take over the position of the CSTO Deputy Secretary General if assuming that position does not result in a wrong message being sent to the Armenian people.

"If it means adding another factor of ensuring the security of the Republic of Armenia, if it doesn't mean that, we don't see the point in taking such a step—at least from the logic of being honest with our people. We have worked with CSTO for a long time and consistently, and we continue to work. We have proposed our principles, which are not about the Republic of Armenia, it is about whether the CSTO is functioning or not, whether it exists or not, at least in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. We are ready to face this issue," he said.

Referring to the remarks that the Armenian army does not participate in combat operations, and they want CSTO to come and defend Armenia, Pashinyan responded: "In November and September 2022, military clashes took place in Armenia [with Azerbaijan]. They were saying that the Armenian government petitioned to the CSTO with the wrong article, it did not petition with Article 4, it specifically petitioned in such a way that even if the CSTO wanted to, it would not be able to make a decision. We petitioned to the CSTO with all possible articles that were possible, we petitioned."

There is a clause about Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in Armenia’s version of the draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this during his press conference today.

"Which is our version, there is, which was sent by Azerbaijan, according to them also resolves the issue, in our opinion it does not resolve that issue. In our impression, with those wordings, Azerbaijan is trying to get a mandate to carry out [Armenian] ethnic cleansing and genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh, with our hands," Pashinyan added.

Earlier during this press conference, the Armenian PM stated that a few days ago, Azerbaijan responded to the latest proposals submitted by Armenia regarding the aforesaid peace treaty.