Azerbaijan has always had militaristic policy and impudent behaviour: I think, Azerbaijan’s current and future policy cannot be changed without introducing compulsion. This was told by Davit Ishkhanyan, deputy of the Artsakh Republic National Assembly, head of the ARF Artsakh office.
In response to the question, what that compulsion is, David Ishkhanyan clarified, “Such format has been applied on Azerbaijan in the 1990s, when Azerbaijan opposed to the fair demand of the Artsakh people and adopted the mechanism of brutal use of force. All this also led them to use military action, forced eviction of residents, and even acts of genocide. In those years, we were obliged to use such mechanisms that Azerbaijan had to accept, mitigate its policy, and to withdraw. I think we can use our experience of the past as a lesson and apply it today”.
Referring to Russia’s policy of selling arms to Azerbaijan in the framework of Artsakh conflict, David Ishkhanyan says that the Russian side performs such steps that directly affect and contradict the interests of its strategic ally. According to him, a very simple point must be realized: Russia has its own interests and is guided by those. Publicizing and presenting the fact of Azerbaijan’s military equipment purchased from Russia regularly has an incentive to exert pressure on the Armenian side.
David Ishkhanyan says that the international community is trying to find common ground for negotiation between the two sides. But does the solution to our problem directly depend on them? I believe, it doesn’t. It is necessary to take into consideration and accept that the key to the solution of the problem is in the hands of Artsakh people, and the settlement can only take place in case of the involvement of Artsakh side in the negotiation process”.
Referring to the meeting of the Foreign Ministers, David Ishkhanyan mentions, “Frankly speaking, I have no expectations and we cannot expect a practical progress in resolving the conflict. I think such meetings can only be the basis for the resumption of negotiation process”.
David ABAGHYAN