“Don’t speak.” Should be told to those, who in reply to DIRECT questions on arms sales to Azerbaijan by Russia, arms, which killed Armenian soldiers and children, start talking profusely and protect Russian interest within the boundaries of their thought and language flexibility.
Particularly, touching upon accusations on Russia by Armenian and Azerbaijani circles, that Russia blocks final settlement of the conflict, Lukyanov stated he agreed, that both in Yerevan and Baku, the role of Moscow in conflict settlement is being much touched upon, that the settlement key is in Moscow, that unsettled conflict is beneficial to the Kremlin, as it provides influence levers towards the whole South Caucasus. According to him, such a stage was really existent.
Political aspects of the causes of the start of the April war will be discussed for a long time: many geopolitical, economic and other reasons will be propounded, but the fact is that Azerbaijan has calculated several things. Over the past years Azerbaijan has purchased a large number of new types of weapons and had confidence that this modern weaponry would provide an inevitable victory. At the same time they knew that the Armenian side started major acquisitions, the huge part of which is still underway. If we add the fact that the spending of the Azerbaijani armed forces have been drastically reduced, then it can be assumed that this was the right time for them to try make a “blitzkrieg”.
“The Azerbaijani army simultaneously operated 50 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Through airborne prospecting they attempted to damage the reserve and destroy control system. Of course, they failed. We implemented command without failures and problems. Through connection we provided uninterrupted command, which is the most crucial in this situation. In the southeastern direction the adversary took an object and failed to exercise its combat mission.”
A criminal case was initiated in General Military Investigative Department on violation of the norms of international humanitarian law provided by international treaties during armed conflicts according to the Part 6 of the Article 390 of Republic of Armenia Criminal Code.
“This is an old problem, a long-standing conflict. Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of violence. A compromise should be found. I thought we were close to it a few years ago, but things turned out to be different.”
With so many conflicts in the world, Nagorno-Karabakh gets little attention. The bloody fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the mountainous enclave this week was a reminder that it should. Tanks and artillery traded fire; at least 50 people were killed in four days. The spectre loomed of a wider war, one that could draw in Russia, Turkey and Iran. A ceasefire brokered in Moscow on April 5th appears to be holding for now. But it brought the two foes no closer to peace.
Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the most dangerous places in the world today. With Russia and Turkey at odds in Syria, a proxy fight may be escalating. The US has a national security interest in preventing an all-out war, with regional implications.
Azerbaijan has wasted years in denunciations of “Armenian aggression” without ever offering the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh credible guarantees that it respects their rights and does not merely wish to destroy them. A just solution of the conflict will require a serious commitment by both sides to make compromises and live together.
“It’s a rather crucial step, at least in memory of those tortured and mutilated people, for the sake of their families, friends and all the people in the world, who bothered, sympathized and watched those barbaric cadres. Firstly, it’s necessary to give moral assessment to those atrocities. Secondly, it’s important from the viewpoint of international policy and international law, i.e. calling things by their names. At least, scrutinized investigation of all incidents should be implemented, and this, of course, is another argument in favor of the Armenian side.”
