We must use all means to protect ourselves - Nikol Pashinyan

ArmInfo. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave an interview to The Washington Post, in which he spoke about the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-  Karabakh and about Turkey's participation in this conflict.

In his article, the journalist of the publication David Ignatius  notes that the escalation of the conflict between Armenia and  Azerbaijan was marked by a new dangerous turning point - an Armenian  fighter jet shot down by Turkey. During the interview, the RA Prime  Minister expressed concern that that, as a result of such actions,  the parties may be involved in a larger war. The Prime Minister of  Armenia said in a telephone conversation that Turkey "creates  instability in neighboring countries, in the eastern Mediterranean,  in the Middle East, and now in the South Caucasus." "This is a  growing threat to global security," Nikol Pashinyan noted, adding  that in addition to the incident with the F-16, Turkey is providing  assistance to Azerbaijan with unmanned aerial vehicles and  mercenaries.

The USA, Russia, France and Germany urge the parties to move to a  diplomatic solution to the problem.  Pashinyan said that he and his  colleagues have already communicated with high-ranking officials from  all these countries. However, so far there has been no significant  progress in the ceasefire negotiations.  The State Department, as the  author of the article notes, is increasingly worried about the  confrontation between a potential US ally, NATO member Turkey, and  Armenia, an ally of Russia.

Pashinyan said the Turkish-backed attack by Azerbaijan was "now a  reality" as a result of the shelling of the Vardenis district east of  the Armenian capital Yerevan. He said that the Turkish F-16, which  shot down the Armenian S-25 fighter, supported the Azerbaijani attack  in the Vardenis area. "What is happening today is a declared war on  the Armenian people," Nikol Pashinyan stressed. He said that due to  the historical conflict with Turkey, his country is now facing a  "real threat".

Answering the question about the possibility of a threat from  Nakhichevan, Pashinyan stated the need to use all means for  protection.

Pointing to the Turkish threat, Pashinyan referred to the massacre of  more than 1 million Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire in  1915, which is considered genocide in resolutions passed by the US  Congress and many other countries, but is still rejected by Turkey.  "The Turkish president has turned denial into the official policy of  his state," Pashinyan said, adding that denial is one of the  conditions for committing a new genocide.

The Prime Minister of Armenia stated that since the resumption of  hostilities on Sunday, dozens of people have been killed and about  200 wounded in Armenia. He noted that the Azerbaijanis lost several  hundred soldiers, as well as more than 100 tanks, several helicopters  and other equipment. He said that the Armenian forces repelled  attacks both in the direction of Karabakh and in the direction of  Armenia. "I hope that in the end the President of Azerbaijan will  understand that there is no military solution to the Karabakh  problem," Nikol Pashinyan noted.

According to him, last week he spoke about a possible diplomatic  settlement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President  Emanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UN Secretary  General Antonio Guterres.

The State Department said Sunday that the United States is "concerned  about reports of large-scale fighting in Karabakh," and warned  "outside forces to refrain from escalating the conflict," referring  indirectly to Turkey. In turn, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen  Bigan called on the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to  "immediately stop hostilities." Pashinyan said that further  negotiations with US officials are planned.