Russia Must Decide What Kind of Armenia It Wants to See: Armen Sarkissian

President Armen Sarkissian gave an interview to the Russian news agency Sputnik, discussing the war in Artsakh and Armenian-Russian relations.

- The autumn war sharply changed the situation around Karabakh. However, fundamentally, globally, the conflict with Baku has not been resolved. Artsakh remains unrecognized. Occupied territories and enclaves remain in the north and south. Will the current, new or renewed authorities one day solve these issues?

- I have repeatedly stated that the final resolution of this conflict is only possible after analyzing its root causes and overcoming their consequences. These causes are multifaceted. The fact is that the immature and short-sighted national-geographical policies of the early Soviet leadership created a slow-acting bomb. It exploded at the end of the 1980s and led to the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population and a bloody war. It is essential to understand that the war was not the choice of the Armenian side; it was imposed by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Independence was also not just the clear desire of Artsakh Armenians; it became, on the one hand, an undeniable tool for survival, and on the other hand, a guarantee to deter possible Azerbaijani aggression. How is it possible to find real models for resolution without considering these fundamental issues? By the way, this was also stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the importance of paying attention to historical peculiarities, including the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

- Among the first leaders of the Armenian state, you are the most experienced politician, who is recognized and respected in Russia. What do you think is currently lacking in Armenian-Russian bilateral relations?

- I believe that Armenian-Russian relations should develop based on the