“It is a huge height of strategic importance. We should not give it to the enemy,” said Samvel Babayan, former commander of the Artsakh Defense Army and former Secretary General of the Artsakh Security Council, at a briefing with journalists in the RA National Assembly on March 25. From the village of Parukh in Artsakh to Karaglukh, Azerbaijani units were positioned in several sections.
“In general, handing over any position in Askeran․․․ the situation is solvable, there is nothing. I think we should be able to negotiate with Russian forces on the spot,” Babayan added. The journalists inquired whether there could be big developments in the mentioned section. Samvel Babayan gave a negative answer. “It can be ruled out. The Armenian side must demand that the Russian side return that height because we removed the positions at their own suggestion. All issues related to defense should be discussed with the Russian side, and they should discuss them with Azerbaijan.” Samvel Babayan added, “They invaded, they entered… we should insist that they retreat.” In response to the remark that Armenia is the guarantor of Artsakh’s security, so how can the solution of every issue be left to the peacekeepers, Samvel Babayan said, “I can not explain everything publicly. The Russian side must be forced to give back those positions. Understand the rest.”
Luiza Sukiasyan
