Arman Melikyan about the connection between the events in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and Gyumri
The Gyumri calamity crime and also the sentiments raised in Armenia as a result are compared with the attacks of the opponent on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and the Armenian side has losses. Can we see a connection between these two? Does Azerbaijan take advantage of what is happening in Armenia? “Aravot” talked to former NKR Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan on this matter and about the affairs in the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and in the Contact line. “The frequency of armed incidents in the Contact line has been recorded much before the tragedy in Gyumri. The direct connection between these two can be proved only if it appears that the offender has committed his crime by the order of Azerbaijani secret services. Only then it will be possible to say that Azerbaijan is no longer satisfied with inciting armed incidents in the frontline and has decided to add the practice of intimidating people living in the deep rear to its actions,” says Arman Melikyan.
He believes that the Azerbaijani approach aimed at keeping the tension hot incurs from the policy adopted by this country, which is one of the essential elements of this policy. “Although the Armenian sides usually manage to give adequate military response to the opponent’s provocations, however, they are unable and will be unable to do the same in the political arena as long as they have not reviewed their political behavior and have not supplemented it with new effective approaches,” says Mr. Melikyan and considers that more than intensive attempts of the recent ceasefire violations in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border are purely political. “Azerbaijan pursues the goal to have a full control over the present entire territory of the Republic of Artsakh, this is our opponent’s invariable goal, for the implementation of which it does not spare the lives of its people, nor the vast material resources at its disposal,” says Mr. Melikyan.
“Aravot” reminded Mr. Melikyan that recently the Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan announced that if necessary, we would attack first. To our question of whether the escalation of hostilities will not lead to war, and to what extent it is favorable to us, he replied, “No country and no people will want to get involved in the war, and we are not an exception in this respect. However, given the official Baku behavior and objectives, the current situation requires a comprehensive and thorough study, only based on serious professional analysis, it would be possible to make prudent decision to defend or attack. If for some reason the war was considered inevitable, then it is necessary to make sure that the military operations take place in opponent’s territory.”
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Arman Melikyan believes that to come out of created situation, our country’s leadership, our entire political class should realize the necessity to change our government system in quality. “New credible and effective approaches are required, which will provide necessary prerequisites for restoration of mutual trust and unity, and will allow realistic grounds to build our relations with the outside world: friends, opponents and potential partners,” says he.
HRIPSIME HOVHANNISYAN
