US Must Explain Whether Those F-16s Were Given to Bomb Civilians, PM's Interview with The New York Times

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave an interview to The New York Times addressing the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh. This was reported by the Prime Minister's Office. Below is the article regarding the interview.

“During a phone call on Thursday with President Trump’s National Security Advisor, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan raised a delicate question: why is nothing being done to prevent NATO ally Turkey from using American-made F-16 fighter jets against the Armenians? Mr. Pashinyan’s appeal to National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien came not long after fighting reignited in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

“Mr. Pashinyan told us during our phone interview that the conflict had escalated to a much more dangerous level because of Turkey’s direct military intervention in support of Azerbaijan. The conflict raises alarms about the potential for a broader war. The United States finds itself in an uncomfortable position as the politically powerful Armenian diaspora watches NATO member Turkey deploy F-16 jets on behalf of Armenia’s adversaries.”

“The United States,” Mr. Pashinyan said, “must explain whether those F-16s were given to bomb peaceful villages and civilian populations.” He noted that Mr. O’Brien “listened and acknowledged” his concerns.

“Mr. Pashinyan declined to say whether Armenia would be willing to surrender any territory in a possible peace settlement, insisting that it was a question for the leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh, not himself.”

“According to Mr. Pashinyan, the current battles for Armenia, which started on September 27 after months of tension, pose an ‘existential threat’ due to Turkish involvement. He reminded that Turkey’s predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, killed about 1.5 million Armenians at the end of World War I. The U.S. Congress and many nations have declared that massacre a ‘genocide,’ which Turkey does not accept.”