For the Armenian side, victory means defending their home. This is how the Russian "Kommersant" newspaper titled the conversation with President Armen Sargsyan. The President first informed the Russian media that even with the mediation of Russia, Azerbaijan did not fulfil its promise of a humanitarian ceasefire, the bombing of Artsakh continues. But the president does not consider this a failure yet, there is a signed document that can be used if the parties wish.
Notably when the president informs that the Russian president also took part in the talks "remotely" by phone. The fact that for 26 years more or less there was not a massive war is a merit of the Russian Federation too. For 26 years people have been peacefully building their lives and dreaming that everything would be resolved through negotiations, that the day would come when the parties would agree on the ultimate status of Karabakh and the process of normalization of relations between the two sides would begin.
There is no alternative to peace talks for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Even if Azerbaijan succeeds in, say, some part of the war or seizing territories, it will not end there anyway. The war of minds, the war of stories, the war of human emotions will continue. People in Armenia will consider it another genocide. The war will not end. So, there is only one way, when all sides agree on how to live further.
"Turkey is not a mediator, but openly helps Azerbaijan. Turkish UAVs fly over the Armenian mountains every day",sais President Sargsyan. It is apparent that the occupation of Karabakh is not the only goal of the Azerbaijani-Turkish side.
There is no need to pretend and state that "we are here to protect the Azerbaijanis. Turkey is there because it wants to control those pipelines. And the longer the conflict lasts, the firmer Turkey's presence in Azerbaijan will be. And this will change the entire regional geopolitics. Turkey is becoming a neighbor to Russia, with which it will, in fact, have a land border. Turkey will manage the oil and gas pipelines to Europe. That means Turkey will receive an extensive impact on Europe's energy security. To explain, if Turkey used to be a consumer of gas and oil, then it will become a manager of those.
The President also reminds that the war unleashed by Azerbaijan is taking place on the border with Iran, and they as well have a cause for a extremely serious concern. And the most unpleasant for Iran, Russia, Central Asia, and Armenia is the presence of the Islamist terrorists.
Do you think Iran will be pleased to see these terrorists right in the north? Or do you think, when all this is over, will they just pack their bags and go somewhere? Or maybe they will stay and receive another destabilization mission, which will be part of Turkey's regional policy?
Turkey is occupying part of Iraq, and where is the territorial integrity of Iraq? Turkey is occupying a part of Syria, but what about the territorial integrity of Syria? Turkey is exceedingly active in developing oil wells in the part of the Mediterranean Sea that belongs to Greece. They are doing the same in Cyprus. Turkey has actually occupied half of Cyprus. Nobody recognized it. When they talk about the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic... what about the Turkish part of Cyprus, is it recognized? Why is the Turkish army standing there? So to say that the issue is purely about Karabakh is to simplify the fundamental problem.
Althougt Iran's caution is objective for the president, but he thinks that Tehran can carry out its role if it talks to the Turkish and Azerbaijani sides in every possible way to cease the military operations and go through peace talks. The President identifies another risk that Turkey, an NATO member, is in Azerbaijan.
Question: did NATO provide Turkey, the green light? Or does the NATO Charter allow alliance members to employ weapons and technologies that belong to the alliance or that were created with NATO assistance in third countries to engage people who have been trained within NATO? As for the F-16, the first documents shall be submitted to NATO.
It is necessary to get clarification whether the leadership of the alliance of Turkey gave the green light to do what it is doing now. It's not solely about F-16. The Turkish drone Bayraktar is used intensively every day not only on the front, but also against civilians. This UAV is an NATO product - its separate elements were created in different NATO countries streching from Austria to Canada.
While we are proposing these questions to the international community, President Sargsyan is sure that Artsakh will win in this dreadful war anyway, because these are not just soldiers fighting there but these are people who are defending their homes, again.
