ArmInfo. Faced with an existential threat, the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh had no other choice that to leave their native land, where they had lived for many centuries, Armenia's Ambassador to Georgia Ashot Smbatyan stated in an interview with the Georgian agency IPN.
The diplomat recalled that on September 19-20, Azerbaijan carried out a large-scale military attack on the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, during which the civilian population and infrastructure were also damaged. He added that hundreds of people, including civilians, women and children, became victims of that two-day aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh. More than 10 thousand people were deprived of shelter and any means of subsistence.
"Russian peacekeepers stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh were actually unable to stop this aggression against civilians. Moreover, Russian peacekeepers also became victims of Azerbaijani aggression.
And this aggression came after a 10-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh through the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, which led to shortages of food, medicine, fuel and other essential goods, depleting all the necessary resources for the survival of the population. Faced with an existential threat, the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh had no choice but to leave their native land, where they had lived for decades. Within 3-4 days after the aggression, more than 100 thousand people, almost the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh, were forcibly deported, finding refuge in Armenia," the diplomat said.
Referring to Baku's assurances that they are not involved in the de-Armenization of Artsakh, Smbatyan recalled the old and wise saying to judge people's intentions not by their words, but by their actions.
The Ambassador emphasized that Azerbaijan's policies and actions over the past year clearly demonstrate the pre-planned and organized nature of this mass crime.
"Ignoring all international norms, Azerbaijan committed ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, bringing its population to the brink of starvation, and then forcing them to leave their homeland through large-scale military aggression.
As for the desire of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to return, I am sure that this desire is very great, because this is their native land, where these people and their ancestors lived and worked for centuries. However, today, after we have witnessed the criminal behavior of Azerbaijan, the return of these people to Nagorno-Karabakh on the terms put forward by the latter would mean living under the constant threat of state-sponsored Armenophobia and genocide," Smbatyan said.
At the same time, the diplomat recalled that Armenia has repeatedly stated its readiness to conclude a peace treaty with Azerbaijan based on the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, international law, and actively participated in the relevant negotiation process in various formats.
"Unfortunately, Azerbaijan's actions once again prove that it rejects the efforts of mediators to achieve real peace through negotiations," the Armenian ambassador said.
As evidence of his words, he cited the constant provocations and aggression of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the borders of Armenia, as well as the presentation of claims to the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia by the Azerbaijani leadership.
"To this day, Azerbaijan refuses to release many Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan.
The actual war of 2020 and subsequent aggression, the almost year-long blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and the ethnic cleansing carried out, the lack of substantive actions on the part of the main international players and relevant international structures have caused a feeling of impunity in Azerbaijan, and it continues to be guided by the logic of solving problems by force. This style of action by Azerbaijan can be seen in the latter's contacts with international players, a striking example of which is Azerbaijan's refusal to participate in EU-mediated negotiations in Granada at the last moment," the ambassador noted.
Regarding the mediation efforts of Brussels, Smbatyan acknowledged the role of the EU in the process of normalizing relations. At the same time, the ambassador pointed out some incomprehensible constraint of the European Union in relations with Azerbaijan.
The Armenian Ambassador noted that some EU member states express the opinion that Azerbaijan is an important partner of the EU in terms of energy resources, pointing out their dependence on Baku.
"Nevertheless, the issue should be considered exclusively from a political-values perspective. It is important that even in these difficult geopolitical conditions the EU remains true to its proclaimed values and continues to be a pioneer in their dissemination. Because only real democratic processes can become the basis for establishing peace and sustainable development in the South Caucasus," the diplomat assured. Regarding regional processes and security challenges, Smbatyan expressed the conviction that the region is so small that the full development of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan is possible only through the establishment of peace and stability in the region and balanced development.
"It was after realizing this, despite numerous difficulties, that Armenia became involved in the process of normalizing relations with Turkey with sincere motives and a constructive intention to solve problems. We see that Turkey's positions on many issues coincide with the maximalist views of Azerbaijan, but we are convinced that regional peace requires collective responsibility. Armenia is ready to take on its share of this shared responsibility and hopes that others will show the same readiness. Moreover, we are confident that the settlement of relations between Armenia and Turkey as quickly as possible will make a significant contribution to the establishment of real peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan," the ambassador said.