Samvel Babayan: While Yerevan`s proteges are in high positions  in Artsakh, Baku will continue to negotiate exclusively with Armenia

ArmInfo. I believe that the resolution of the Karabakh issue depends on Artsakh.  Head of the United Homeland Party , former Defense Minister, NKR hero Samvel  Babayan stated in an interview with ArmInfo correspondent. In the  upcoming presidential elections, Babayan supported the candidacy of  Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan.

"Artsakh will be able to sit at the negotiating table when we become  more developed in the political, economic aspects and in the military  sector. In the situation in which we are now, we will not be able to  sit at the negotiating table. When we are strong, Azerbaijan reckons  with us and sits at the negotiating table, as it was before, but our  final goal is reunification with Armenia>, Babayan emphasized.

He emphasized that he hopes that the candidate who will be elected by  the people will win the election.  "Baku must understand that the  strongest, the chosen one of the people won in Artsakh during the  democratic elections. And these are the NKR people's chosen people,  and not the proteges from Yerevan.  As long as the proteges of  Yerevan are in the leadership in Artsakh, Baku will continue to  negotiate exclusively with Armenia>, the former Defense Minister  noted.

The head of the party also noted that if his party gets a majority in  parliament, they will first of all take up constitutional reforms.  "We would like to develop our parliamentary cooperation with Armenia.  We would like the MPs from Armenia to more actively represent Artsakh  on international platforms as an independent entity, as a free  democratic country. Of course, the MPs from Armenia raise this issue  today, but we would like to so that this issue is raised more often,  we should note that, by blocking the borders with Armenia and NKR,  Azerbaijan committed a crime against humanity, "Babayan emphasized.

Babayan also touched upon the fact why he was unable to run for  president of the NKR. "I believe that the fact that I was  deregistered in the NKR was a thoughtful step against me. Some  candidates realized that if I run for president, they will be  defeated. We are all Armenian citizens, and if you want to  participate in the elections, then you apply to be registered, but it  always has been, but this time, they told me that before running for  the post of Artsakh President, I should live in the NKR for 5 years.  Thus, the authorities showed that they use the law to their advantage  and purpose, "he said.

The latter also said that he decided to support Masis Mayilian in the  upcoming elections, as the views of the NKR Foreign Minister coincide  with the program of Babayan. "Firstly, I have known Masis Mayilyan  since the 1990s, he was Deputy Foreign Minister, and I was the  Minister of Defense. We conceived negotiations together, but that's  not the point. It's just that Masis Mayilyan's views coincide with  the party's program  "United Homeland Party ," the NKR hero  emphasized.

Babayan noted that his party intends to devote special attention to  the socio-economic sector. At the same time, the hero of Artsakh  noted that the legislative framework in Artsakh should be changed. He  emphasized that the main goals of his program are to make laws more  understandable for citizens of the country, to develop parliamentary  relations with other countries, to ensure that laws do not contain  controversial provisions, increase salaries and pensions for the  country's population, and reduce gas and electricity prices in the  NKR. Moreover, all war veterans will receive benefits.

Babayan also emphasized that he would like the OSCE Minsk Group  co-chairs to take responsibility for what is happening at the border.  "As you know, the OSCE Minsk Group has three co-chairs. They can  decide among themselves who will bear the mandate of responsibility  for what is happening on the border in the NKR. After all, when  Azerbaijan shoots in the direction of the border, the Minsk group  only calls on the parties to peace. One of the co-chairs or all at  once can take responsibility, so that people in NKR can sleep  peacefully and not be afraid of war, so that people in border  villages can build their houses and not be afraid of anything. After  all, it is the co-chairs who are responsible for maintaining peace  and tabulations in the region. This is our goal, "he said.

In conclusion, Samvel Babayan expressed the hope that on March 31,  citizens will go to the polls and choose a legitimate authority that  will appeal to all citizens. "Any decision of the people of Artsakh  will be acceptable to me," the hero of Artsakh concluded.

It should be noted that on March 31 presidential and parliamentary  elections will be held in Artsakh. NKR hero Samvel Babayan intended  to run for president, however, as it turned out, he was deregistered  in Artsakh and has been deprived of Artsakh citizenship since 2006.  Consequently, the latter could not take part in the presidential  election, however, Babayan's "United Homeland Party will take part in  the parliamentary elections in the NKR.