David Babayan's Response to Aliyev's Statement: 'We Should Never Underestimate, He Says Foolish Things'

David Babayan, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of Artsakh, responded to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's statement about reconstructing towns after regaining territories in an interview with SHANTNEWS.am.

According to Babayan, this statement indicates that there is no change in Azerbaijan's mindset.

“Firstly, it shows once again that nothing changes in their vision. We must take this seriously and must never underestimate, as if he is saying foolish things. At one time, when Hitler spoke about his ideas, everyone thought he was crazy, but you saw what happened; he was given the opportunity to realize his insane, delusional ideas. It’s the same here. We know well how they will rebuild; they 'restored' Jughah, meaning they destroyed everything to ensure no trace of Armenian presence remains. We are familiar with how they renovated the Armenian quarters in Baku, how they demolished Armenian, Jewish, and Russian cemeteries,” he stated.

Babayan pointed out that one should never forget that these statements are made with sincerity. He emphasized that negotiations are essential for peace and stability, and it is clear that these meetings should primarily be viewed in the context of maintaining peace and stability, as two important foundations are needed for resolution: the restoration of a comprehensive negotiation format that does not currently exist and relevant ideas whereby Azerbaijan must abandon its fascist and anti-Armenian policies.

“If that does not exist, even if a full negotiation format is restored, what should we talk about? Should we meet with Aliyev and discuss how he is 'rebuilding' Stepanakert or Shushi? This shows the real picture; the more he makes such statements, the more that picture will remain clear,” Babayan noted.

In response to Aliyev's statement that the April 2016 clashes demonstrated that “Azerbaijan is capable of restoring its territorial integrity through military means,” Babayan remarked whether Aliyev's memory is so short, stating that such statements are merely a means to deceive his own people.

“In other words, 'is capable of restoring'; restore what? Azerbaijan has been preparing for 22 years to destroy us in a blitzkrieg and took one height or two, suffering 2,500 to 4,500 casualties, causing that much destruction and personal tragedy. Of course, his son did not serve here; he served at home in Baku, everything is fine for them, businesses are thriving, and that’s what he has to say. But he should go and see how his impoverished compatriots, who lost so many people, are living, and whether they agree with such statements. Of course, they do not think that way. We are supporters of peace, but that does not mean we are incapable or afraid; the people who have gone through war understand very well what that means. One must be 'schizophrenic' to wish for the other side, even a neighboring nationality, to suffer tragedy,” he explained.

Babayan emphasized the importance of always knowing that the April War demonstrated once again that the approaches of Aliyev's regime and the Azerbaijani state have not changed; therefore, to maintain peace and stability, we must always be strong, and our strength lies in our army, unity, and proper geopolitical strategy.