ArmInfo. The situation is such that especially the current realities do not allow Artsakh to get involved in various kinds of speculation or fall under the influence of certain forces. It is necessary to act solely from our own national interests. Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan stated this during a press conference on Facebook on the air of RFE/RL's Armenian Service when asked what kind of policy the Armenian side should pursue today, pro-Russian, pro-Western or Russophobic.
At the same time, he expressed bewilderment over the fact that any Armenian, having examples of the bitter pages of his own history, can afford to express anti-mood towards other states, and especially towards Russia.
"Russia and the Russian people are fraternal for us. There are only two peoples in the world who are able to maintain normal relations with almost all countries of the world. These are Armenians and Jews, because we both have a Diaspora. To have the Diaspora and not use its potential is stupidity or enmity towards our own people; It turns out that if we consider the Russian people as brothers, we should consider the Americans as enemies? ... Again, I think that having the opportunities of the Diaspora and not using them, it is either a lack of professionalism or a deviation from our state policy," the minister said.
At the same time, he urged those who ask such questions to look carefully at the map, to see who Armenia and Artsakh are surrounded by, and how it is possible to save what is left of us and only then speak. "Therefore, we must have good relations - our future is seriously endangered. It's time to start thinking soberly! How can we have bad relations with the United States, where we have a community of 2 million people, or with Russia, where there are more than 3 million Armenians? Why should we choose between pro-Western or pro-Russian? We should be pro-Armenian," Babayan said, recalling that geopolitics is a very complex process and there is no need to get involved in virtual games.
When asked to comment on Armenia's policy on the issue of Artsakh, whether Yerevan really manages to enjoy the benefits of the two poles - the West and Russia, the NKR Foreign Minister expressed his conviction that this question should not be asked to him.
" But when we talk about Armenia-Artsakh relations, the key issue should be that we should be able to preserve Artsakh as a value that the latter has, as a shrine for the Diaspora. One should understand, if there is no Artsakh, there will be no Armenia either. Everyone should understand this, I would not want us to realize that when we are already on the verge of irreversible destruction. Artsakh is indispensable from a geopolitical and moral point of view," said the head of the NKR Foreign Ministry, adding that he would not allow Artsakh to be turned into an object of domestic political speculation in Armenia.
Babayan once again stressed the need to maintain good, partnership relations with all the countries with which it is necessary to have such relations, especially in the countries where there is an Armenian Diaspora, in order to maintain independence and save our own people in these difficult conditions.
Pointing to the scarcity of resources for maneuvers and the presence of red lines, Babayan noted that today the issue of Armenian statehood is being resolved. When asked to assess the protest actions in Armenia, the head of the Karabakh Foreign Ministry noted that now forces will constantly arise that will try to draw Artsakh into this game, receiving dividends and endangering the NKR, the Armenian statehood. "Naturally, we are closely following these processes in Armenia and are obliged to follow, but we do not participate in them, because we attach too much importance to the moment, the situation. Because if we do not preserve Artsakh as a shrine, we will be lost," Babayan said. To the remark that it was with these slogans that the Armenian opposition took to the streets, the NKR Foreign Minister noted that these are political processes, the opposition has such opportunities. " According to the RA Constitution, Armenia is a democratic country, so the processes must be in line with a democratic country," the Artsakh Foreign Minister said, stressing that there must be opposition in a democratic country, there must be power, and the struggle must always continue. At the same time, Babayan believes that the Armenian people are facing four key tasks today - Artsakh, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the preservation of Armenian identity and the salvation of Lake Sevan, and there should be a unified approach around these four issues. He once again pointed out the negative consequences of the lack of a unified approach on this issue. In this vein, the diplomat stressed that the issue of Artsakh should be in the center of attention, including Armenia, but this does not mean that the NKR authorities should interfere in these processes. "We must do everything so that neither the state of Artsakh nor the state of Armenia interfere in each other's internal political life," he said. At the same time, Babayan noted that after the war of 2020, there was no room for maneuvers, Artsakh had never had such losses, and there was only one red line left - Artsakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan.