Beheaded bodies best evidence of Azerbaijan’s sadistic regime – Nagorno-Karabakh official

In an interview with Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) president, David Babayan, addressed the recent days’ increased violence along the Line of Contact and the Azerbaijani armed forces’ targeted raids against the civilian population and towns.
 

Mr Babayan, the situation has been tense in Artsakh in the past couple of days. [Azerbaijan] fired 550 gun-shells, targeting the civilian population. Is that a war?

No, it isn’t a war. Yet, the military positions of the Defense Army and several settlements,  especially the town of Martakert (with schools and libraries), are under fire. Fortunately, we do not have civilian casualties; neither are there any major devastations. But such a conduct is a signal for us to be more serious in our joint work with the international community. When different international events – forums, so to say – are organized in Azerbaijan to give platform to different politicians, when Azerbaijan, as a state, is described as a model of a “tolerance” - that being done by representatives of Spain, France, the United Kingdom and [other] accomplished and civilized states - that’s nothing more than a way of supporting terrorism or, what’s even more, a call for acting likewise. That will, of course, motivate Baku to shoot more fire. Whenever such a statement is made by Turkey, it can be understood in a way given that [President Erdogan] is the leader of a terrorist state and personally maintains contact with terrorists. That’s absolutely clear. But when we hear that from western representatives who repeatedly speak of democratic values but later fill their stomachs with that caviar and their pockets with money, we cannot but expect Baku to behave that way. So such a conduct bears a direct relationship to statements of the kind. Also, it is important to be very cautious when pronouncing such laudations about a fascist state, as all that later finds vent in murders, amputated ears and beheaded bodies. So it is important to give the Europeans to understand who they actually laud. This is not just a military challenge; it is also a challenge to civilization and moral values.

Does not the Minsk Group’s silence over the recent days lead to the same results?
 

I think the Minsk Group co-chairs are seriously concerned and are voicing their concern through the mouths of Sergey Lavrov and John Kerry. You know that Armenia’s president has had a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State, which was preceded by Mr Lavrov’s visit to Armenia. Of course, they are interested in a peaceful settlement of the conflict. And I think they will do their utmost.

How was President Serzh Sargsyan’s interview with Bloomberg perceived in Nagorno-Karabakh?

I can say that the most important thing is that Nagorno-Karabakh must be involved in all the processes instead of joining them first only to leave because of Azerbaijan’s whims. We cannot assume the responsibility for a settlement model unless we are not involved in developing it. The fact is that the process in reaching a deadlock and Azerbaijan is committing acts of terror. Stepanakert’s participation in the negotiations has been highlighted.

And if an Armenian-Azerbaijani meeting is announced in the near future – at the foreign ministers’ or presidential level – with Nagorno-Karabakh not participating, should a question of Armenia’s nonparticipation be raised as well?

We should not go into extremes, following Azerbaijan’s example. Going into extremes is terrorism as well in the same political conflict. And here is no alternative to Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation. We should not prefer rejecting the process, tens of thousands of killed people and ruins, because it will sooner or later result in restoration of the format and we will natural reach a normal state.