Azerbaijan forcing Artsakh people into leaving their homeland - Ruben  Vardanyan 

ArmInfo.The Artsakh Armenians will not surrender, but will go on defending their right to live in their Homeland, Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan said in an interview  with TEMPI.it. 

By imposing a blockade on Artsakh on December 12, Azerbaijan has just  been forcing the Artsakh people into leaving their land. 

"The situation is really critical, and we have numerous humanitarian  problems. Under the circumstances, a need for air-lift is even more  urgent," Mar Vardanyan said. 

The U.N. Security Council and the ECHR have discussed the Artsakh  blockade, and the international community considers the situation  unacceptable. As regards the so-called "environmentalists", Mr  Vardanyan said: 

"They are not at all environmentalists. They are Azerbaijani special  agents. We admit environmental problems. So we proposed forming an  international commission to check environmental damage. But  Azerbaijan refused. Azerbaijan's intention is political and has  nothing to do with environmental protection.  They want to force the  Artsakh people into leaving their land," Mr Vardanyan said. 

As regards a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said: 

"The Armenians and the Azerbaijanis are two different nations. They  have different culture and values, but they have to find ways of  living as neighbors in one region instead of warring against each  other. A peace agreement is difficult, but possible to reach. It is  important for Azerbaijan to recognize Artsakh. I am sure that a  solution will be found if we start from this point."   

As to whether Mr Vardanyan himself in Azerbaijan's target, he said: 

"Azerbaijan is doing it because I am capable of making the Artsakh  people's voice heard, which is a problem for Baku. Our government  needs experienced leaders. Artsakh must become more open and  competitive. I am sure I can use my knowledge and skills to serve my  people, which is the reason for Azerbaijan aiming at me."  

In his interview with Reuters Ruben Vardanyan said that the  "blockade" was exerting "big psychological pressure" on the  population.

"We will not starve, because there's enough food. But some products  we cannot get on our internal market," he said, adding that fuel and  certain medicines would be in short supply.

"It's a long winter we have in front of us. It's 100 days or more  before we will get any grain, or herbs, or any other food we can grow  in our own land. So we are preparing ourselves that it will be a  long-term blockade."

Vardanyan accused Azerbaijan of using the blockade to "squeeze out"  the Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh by convincing them they  have "no future" in the region.

"Winter is the best time to do it. They control the gas, they control  the electricity, they control the internet.  They can do whatever  they want," he added.

He said that plans for New Year's Eve and Christmas celebrations in  the territory had had to be changed, as shortages loomed of  everything from sugar and fruit, to cigarettes and construction  materials.

"We had a plan to bring presents (from Armenia) for 12,000 kids below  6 years old," Vardanyan said.  "Now they are all waiting for Santa  Claus but I don't know how we can do it."