SAMVEL BABAYAN: WAR IN KARABAKH CAN RESUME AT ANY MOMENT

Noyan Tapan
March 30, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. All developments lead to a war in
the Nagorno Karabakh negotiations as Azerbaijan is not ready for
compromises and wants to receive everything giving nothing. Former NKR
Defence Minister Samvel Babayan expressed such an opinion at a March
30 press conference. In his words, at the current negotiations stage
the Armenian side should not constantly speak about compromises as it
"makes the enemy impudent." S. Babayan said that operations can resume
at any moment in Karabakh, and the Armenians "are doomed to win again."

According to his observation, history shows that South Caucasian
region’s countries sign a document with the opposite side only in
cases when they are forced to sign it. According to S. Babayan,
the same concerns Azerbaijan which will sign a final document with
the Armenian side only in case of being defeated in the war for the
second time. The speaker considers that it is Armenian diplomacy’s
omission that in 1994 the Armenians did not force such a document on
the defeated Azerbaijan.

Assessing OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ work S. Babayan said that
they do not fulfill their role well. According to him, instead of
unsuccessful attempts of bringing the sides to a consent Minsk Group
should assume the role of a judge.

Speaking about the home political sphere at journalists’ request S.

Babayan declared that all political figures of Armenia "over the past
16 years just wore out the brilliant victory gained in Karabakh." In
his words, there are political figures who should have retired on a
pension long ago but for some reason do not retire. However, S.

Babayan did not mention concrete names.