Sarkisian Threatens to Recognize NKR; Criticizes International Community’s Silence

Blasts Turkey’s Role in Baku Aggression

YEREVAN (A.W.)—“Should [Azerbaijani] military actions continue and escalate into larger scales, the Republic of Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabagh,” Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisian warned Ambassadors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) member states summoned for a meeting on April 4.

“Further escalation of [Azerbaijani] military actions may result in unpredictable and irreversible consequences, including an all-out war. It will obviously affect the security and stability not only of the South Caucasus but also the entire European area,” said Sarkisian.

 

Sarkisian Criticizes International ‘Silence’

Sarkisian criticized the fact that the warnings of the Armenian side regarding Azerbaijan’s “Armenophobic rhetoric” and the potential for a “new military adventurism” were unheeded. He went on to criticize the silence of the international community in the face of Baku’s “bragging about the acquisition of arms and weaponry in profound quantities.”

“When statements about seeking military solution to the problem were being made at the highest levels, the international community remained almost silent; when Azerbaijan was derailing the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and turning down the proposals to create confidence building mechanisms, the international community again kept silence. And today, the international community is again silent as we see how Azerbaijan uses heavy artillery and bombards the peaceful population,” said Sarkisian, adding, “By the way, literally minutes ago the Azeri armed forces for the first time used heavy flame-thrower system.”

The President drew attention to Aliyev’s false rhetoric of “tolerance” and juxtaposed it with the brutal murder of civilians over the weekend. “Hostilities of this magnitude have not been registered since the establishment of the ceasefire in 1994,” said Sarkisian. “Provocative attacks of the Azeri side […] continue as we speak. Azerbaijan continues to target civilians, using multiple rocket launchers and mortars.”

Sarkisian stressed that as a party to the 1994 ceasefire agreement, Armenia would uphold its obligation to “ensure the security of the people of Nagorno-Karabagh.” He added that he has instructed the Foreign Affairs Ministry to “work with Nagorno-Karabagh to elaborate an agreement on mutual military assistance.”

Sarkisian also criticized calls for “restraint” when it came to NKR’s counter-measures.

 

Sarkisian Blasts Turkey’s Role in Baku Aggression

Sarkisian condemned Turkey’s role in the recent violence. “[Turkey] is acting from a position of inciting a great war in the region and is explicitly encouraging the adventuristic policy of the Azerbaijani leadership,” said Sarkisian. “Azerbaijan is bragging about its alleged victory, and Turkey congratulates it on that occasion. While the international community condemns the use of force in Nagorno-Karabagh, although only in words.

Sarkisian stressed that Turkey should have no place in the NKR peace process, as evidenced by its recent rhetoric supporting Baku’s aggression. “Turkey is the only country to provide unwavering support to the Azerbaijani adventurism. The statements made by Ankara before and after this situation—through which this country seems to compete with Azerbaijan with its anti-Armenian stance—can form a new hotbed of tension in the region, something in which Turkey has experience in the Near East,” said Sarkisian. “All those who wished to see Turkey among the mediators now understand that the country, having adopted the approach of the so-called ‘blood-kinship security,’ should be completely kept away from the process of the Karabagh conflict resolution.”

 

Sarkisian’s Three Points

The President went on to list three points he wished the Ambassadors to relay to their capitals. First, that the parties concerned “clearly demand an explanation” from Baku about the instigation of military operations. Second, the concerned parties must “address the cause of the conflict.” Third, the concerned parties must note that Azerbaijan has not “’liberated’ territories.”

“I can assure you that Azerbaijan hasn’t liberated any territory. At this moment along the whole line of contact there is only a tiny segment in the south and another tiny segment in the north (which hopefully will no longer exist by the end of this meeting). This means that Azerbaijan has made an advance of merely 200-300 meters. For every meter, they have lost more than one person,” said Sarkisian, who stressed that reports of Azeri territorial gains are misinformation.

The President spoke about the need for the OSCE to put in place ceasefire violation investigation mechanisms and to increase the number of OSCE personnel on the ground.

Sarkisian also said that “whether they like it or not” Baku has to speak directly with the NKR authorities, as they are a party to the ceasefire agreement.

Source: Armenian Weekly Mid-West