During the discussion panel on the Artsakh conflict at the Munich Security Conference, a participant asked why Armenia and Azerbaijan do not appeal to the International Court of Justice over the Artsakh conflict. The President of Azerbaijan responded, “Azerbaijan remains loyal to the negotiations process. We have not lost hope that we will be able to recover our territorial integrity through negotiations. Since we still have hope, that will not be the best option. The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, had stated earlier that “Artsakh is a part of Azerbaijan,” which Nikol Pashinyan had responded to.
Aliyev continued, “But if the Armenian side ruins the negotiations process with a new approach, then we may have to consider that option.” The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, responded that the Armenian side is also loyal to the negotiations process for peace. “I believe that negotiations need to take place within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ standards. We are prepared to make a huge effort to ensure that changes are made and to reach a resolution to the Artsakh conflict.”
Pashinyan then noted that he carried out small “revolutions” within the negotiations process. “It is impossible to reach a resolution in one or two steps. Therefore, small “revolutions” are needed. I said that the resolution needs to be acceptable for Artsakh, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. This is a small revolution since I am the leader of Armenia and I said that the resolution needs to also be acceptable for Azerbaijan. The other mini-revolution is that I have called upon Armenians and Azeris to use social media not to insult one another, but to understand one another better.”
Pashinyan emphasized that he also sent a message to the people of Azerbaijan in another way and he would not be against Aliyev sending a message to the Armenian people. “It would be very strange if Mr. Aliyev refuses to speak with representatives from Artsakh. How is it possible to resolve the conflict without speaking to them? Artsakh is a recognized side in the negotiations process according to the OSCE.”
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Regarding the small revolutions and the aforementioned suggestion, Aliyev said, “When Pashinyan says that the resolution to the conflict also needs to be acceptable for Azerbaijan, I must say that the people of Azerbaijan, who have suffered from Armenian aggression, want to return to their homes. They have been deprived of that fundamental right. Pashinyan knows well that more than 80 percent of the Artsakh army is comprised of Armenian citizens. Therefore, there is no Artsakh army. There are only two sides in the conflict- Armenia and Azerbaijan. Artsakh is not a side. We will not speak to them. We will speak to the aggressor.”
Then, Aliyev announced that Azerbaijan is ready to speak with Artsakh on one condition: that Armenia ceases financing that, in his words, illegal subject. “If Armenia takes its troops out of Artsakh and completely withdraws from that territory, we will have reasons to speak to those people. I believe that they will keep those territories occupied forever, though.
Nikol Pashinyan responded, “Aliyev is speaking about those territories from an Azeri point of view. According to him, they are territories, but for Artsakh, they are security. It is not possible to concede security. Aliyev spoke about the Armed Forces of Artsakh. My son is serving in Artsakh as a volunteer. He went to defend his compatriots because he knows history.”
Luiza Sukiasyan
