Azerbaijan is Becoming More Unpredictable: David Babayan

“The situation is the same. Truly enough, this intensiveness has especially risen on the eve of Easter, currently ceasefire regime is maintained,” David Babayan, Press Secretary of the President of NKR, told 168.am.

Note, recently Azerbaijan has intensified shootings directed to Armenia, even bombs settlements, as a result of which people have been injured.

– Mr. Babayan, what is behavior of Azerbaijan in recent days conditioned by?

–Likewise behavior is linked to Azerbaijan’s nature. As a state, it’s a terror country and acts like the one. With its behavior it hits a blow not only to negotiations, but also efforts by OSCE Minsk group co-chairs. Especially Aliyev’s recent scandalous statement, where he, in fact, accuses OSCE Minsk group co-chairs in provocative actions, attributes a hue of Christian-Muslim conflict, this is a rather bad approach, and international community should be more cautious and attentive towards likewise statements, as it brings forward a range of deep issues. It’s clear that Azerbaijan isn’t alone in it, a power is standing on its back, and we know, it’s Turkey, which instigates Azerbaijan to pursue such a policy.

This also shows that terrorists of the Islamic State, as well as Turkey and Azerbaijan have one thing in common. I consider, likewise statements should be seriously taken. International community should have tougher and normal disposition regarding Azerbaijan, maybe in that case terror acts in Paris, Brussels and other place took place.

This also shows bad corrupt condition of a range of European structures, as the very Aliyev, by making his statement, repeatedly cites those two scandalous reports, one of which hasn’t been adopted. This shows that some people in Europe, to satisfy their stomach needs, hit a blow both to democracy and generally to civil norms and public. All these should be seriously analyzed appropriate steps should be undertaken.

–You stated that Azerbaijan’s likewise behavior contributes to, first and foremost, efforts of OSCE Minsk group co-chairs. What should members of the group do to restrain Azerbaijan’s likewise behavior?

–Official Stepanakert made a few proposals, that it’s necessary to refrain from violation of ceasefire regime on holidays and the co-chairs accepted it rather enthusiastically and called on maintaining ceasefire regime during the days of Nowruz and Easter, which shows that our proposal was adopted by the co-chairs. According to some data, Azerbaijan also adopted it, but it lasted for only 1-2 hours, and Aliyev violated ceasefire regime during the ceasefire, by that desecrating their own holiday and commandments of their religious God. Accordingly, what do we expect from such a state? Only sanctions should be defined, if the whole world fights against terrorists, if they are looked for in the whole world, the same should be implemented towards them.

–According to you, isn’t it the right time that OSCE Minsk group co-chairs refrain from putting equality while speaking of activities by Azerbaijan and Armenia in their assessments, by that restraining Azerbaijan?

–Of course, it’s not the equality that needs to be changed, but that assessment should be complete, we don’t say that it were pro-Armenian or anti-Azerbaijani, the assessment should be complete.

– Isn’t it complete now?

– We understand that they do their best not to harm the process, but at the same time, obviously, by that, Azerbaijan’s behavior is becoming more unpredictable and continues its destructive policy in the atmosphere of impunity.

By Ani Keshishyan