ArmInfo. The implementation of a phased plan to resolve the conflict around Artsakh will lead to a mass outflow of the people of Artsakh, former chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Lieutenant General Norat Ter-Grigoryants, expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"This will be a real crime, a continuation of the crime against the Armenian people that began in 1988. As a result, not the previous residents will settle in these territories but terrorists, including ISIS, criminals of all kinds, representatives of special services, and other people from similar categories. "This is exactly what Turkey is seeking, this is the essence of its modern policy. We perfectly see this on the example of Syria," he emphasized.
Commenting on the vision of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov regarding a phased settlement of the conflict, the general noted that the surrender of seven districts to Azerbaijan has been talked about for a long time. Baku and Ankara are forcing mediators to this, and judging by Lavrov's latest statement, both Russia and the other co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group are gradually inclining to this. On April 21, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the document adopted in April 2019 at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow as the most important step in implementing the UN Security Council resolution on the Karabakh settlement. "These documents suggest progress in a settlement based on a phased approach. I believe that at the first stage, the solution of the most pressing problems, the liberation of a number of areas around Nagorno-Karabakh and the unblocking of transport, economic and other communications, "he said. Meanwhile, the surrender of any Artsakh territories will become, according to Ter-Grigoryants, a continuation of the pogroms of the Armenian population in Sumgait and Baku. According to his forecasts, this is Azerbaijan's goal after failing to expel the Artsakh people from Artsakh in the early 1990s.
However not being able to achieve this even by war, Baku is trying to get the Armenians to leave Artsakh by means of negotiations, in particular, the phased plan. Ter-Grigoryants considers that Russia's interest in the phased settlement plan is determined by the close cooperation of Moscow and the veiled beneficiary of this plan-Ankara. "Pipes, gas, oil are just a part of this cooperation. I never understood or shared Russia's desire to strengthen Turkey. Especially considering that Russia's ally Armenia stands on the other side of the barricades at the throat of Pan-Turkist projects," the general emphasized.
"The threat of another aggression of Azerbaijan has not disappeared. The enemy continues to arm himself. The authorities are spreading hatred towards the Armenian people, preparing the population for a new war. In this light, we need to continue the process of acquiring the latest weapons. I only welcome Prime Minister Pashinyan in this matter. At the same time, the existing weapons should not be discounted. This is not junk, they need to be improved, the level of use, the level of control of these weapons should be improved. All these measures will increase our combat readiness and, therefore, reduce the likelihood of war ", Ter-Grigoryants summarized.