“Face to Face” program of “Aravot” hosts Artsakh war veteran Ofelia Grigoryan and political scientist Stepan Grigoryan
Nelly Grigoryan – Ms. Ofelia, you did you feel in the morning of April 2 when the enemy’s encroachments were already known? What came first in you: mother, soldier or a woman?
Ofelia Grigoryan – All three together. My husband and I are packed up by the same ring. (Ofelia Grigoryan’s husband, a member of the battalion “Shushi”, Norayr Shahbazyan, was again on the battlefield). We were gathered to burn incense in memory of one of our friends and we began talking, a few hours later, an announcement was made for the Shushi special battalion that we should leave voluntarily. I asked one question to my husband, what are we going to do? Who of us is going? He said, “Hush, woman and sit down.” I objected as he had a health problem and I said, I will go and a few months later you will come to replace me. He said, when there is a need for it I will tell you. There is a connection. My wish is great to leave with the next leaving vehicles. Also, the mother spoke in me that my children are still small. But God forbid, if the moment comes I will be there.
N. G. – Mr. Grigoryan, the events of the last two years around NKR conflict alluded to such development of the conflict. But what was the choice of timing by Azerbaijan?
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Stepan Grigoryan – Prior to answering the question, I would like to agree with Ofelia, our hero. Yes. We have interesting people. They have a self-organized talent. People were not waiting for anyone. The realized that it is dangerous. Even on April 1, I heard separate officials saying that it is uncertain, we have not yet analyzed the situation … but the people understood that this is not a usual ceasefire violation.
The danger is close. People were giving blood, there were queues in the military commissariats, angered young people who were refused to go to the front. You cannot achieve this with primitive propaganda. The self-consciousness is very high. The opposition, the government and the public figures came together at once. It’s very important. Thank you also to the Yezidi people for being next to us and with us. We also have an Armenian army Yazidi victim. Both the people of Karabakh and Armenia showed that they can come together very quickly. The armies responded very proportionately.
There is one problem. How it happened that we missed the accumulation of so many military equipment on the border? There is also a need for analysis with regard to the work of the diplomatic sector but these are issues to be discussed later.
Why are several factors convened in Washington now? No one greeted Aliyev there. Erdoğan and the President of Pakistan warmly greeted with him but David Cameron did not even shake hands with him. Not to speak about the others. There are serious issues related to human rights in his country, the price of oil is dropping, and when Aliyev realized in Washington that it is not the point that he has money and bribes everybody, it turned out that it is not the case. In Washington, he fell in agony and began to calculate. Yes, these calculations were in vain, Aliyev got a counterblow.
O. G. – We are the winning side. In addition, the fact that there is a loser mentality in Azerbaijan, also economic, social, human rights and political matters are added. Everything becomes very complicated. Aliyev was seeing the solutions in rapid actions. Even if he had preserved a hundred meters, it could proofread all the rest defeats by reporting to his people. But he appeared in a worse situation than he could imagine. We also have an internal revolt, discontent and so on but they did not take into account, our cause is just. During peace, our freedom fighter can leave and go to take a good care of his child. But I assure you within one or two days, the guys of our battalion called from Canada, Russia and other places and are coming.
N. G. – Mr. Grigoryan, Does the Karabakh conflict settlement enters a new diplomatic phase under this agreement on termination of the shooting, or we still have to wait for military developments?
S. G. – There is an opinion that with such attacks, Aliyev is testing a variety of weapons: grad, Smerch, TOS-1, unmanned aerial devices and so on. That is the reason for me to think that some time later he can go for bigger adventures. Let us not be afraid but be ready.
Nelly GRIGORYAN,
“Aravot” daily
