Azerbaijan Must Understand That Neighbors Are the Only Way to Live Side by Side: Ruben Vardanyan to France 24

The state minister of the Republic of Artsakh, Ruben Vardanyan, has given an interview to the prestigious French television channel France 24, discussing the situation in Artsakh. This is the second interview of the Artsakh state minister with this channel during the blockade by Azerbaijan.

In response to a question about what the European Union can do and how it can help, Vardanyan noted that Europe can exert pressure on Aliyev’s regime, explain what sanctions could be imposed against him, and demonstrate that it is unacceptable to deprive 120,000 people, including 30,000 children, of heating in winter conditions. “Europeans should have exerted pressure and stated that this is unacceptable, that he [Aliyev] should not be invited to Davos and that he is not part of that civilization. They could create an air corridor so that humanitarian planes could land in Stepanakert and bring us the much-needed food and medicine. I also believe that the best way to end this story would be to recognize Artsakh as an independent state. Because Azerbaijan is not able to provide normal living conditions not only for Armenians but even for its own people. The current situation once again proves that it is impossible to live within Azerbaijan where there is so much pressure and so many attacks against the civilian population,” he stated.

In response to a question about how the people of Artsakh are coping with the blockade, the state minister noted that despite all these difficulties, the people are resilient. “They say that since they are fighting for their independence, they are ready to remain and show courage and not succumb to pressure. The people understand the situation and acknowledge that this is a difficult time, a continuation of the war that did not end on November 9, 2020. Therefore, the people here are ready to fight despite all these pressures,” Vardanyan added.

When asked by France 24 whose hands hold the key to a solution and an end to the suffering of the people in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ruben Vardanyan stated that the main “beneficiary” of all this is Aliyev’s regime because having an external enemy allows him to maintain his regime. “Let’s not forget that the country has been run by one family for decades. Therefore, the only way to maintain unity within the country is to have an external enemy to consolidate one’s own people against. That is why the key is in the hands of the Azerbaijani people, because their children are dying in the war, they are poor even though they have so much oil and gas. The international civilized community must explain that this is unacceptable. France, Russia, the USA, Iran, and Turkey are major players, but in the end, our goal and responsibility is to show determination and courage in defending our independence. One day, Azerbaijan must understand that the only way to live side by side is to be neighbors, not to be part of Azerbaijan,” he emphasized.

The state minister of Artsakh also pointed out that Europe continues to engage in trade with Azerbaijan, accepting an authoritarian regime that is trying to undermine a democratic country like Artsakh. He considered this an example of “the double standards of many major players.” “Russia, Europe, and the USA can play a significant role. France is one of the few countries that has supported the Armenians of Artsakh since the very first day of the blockade. I would like to thank them for that. I believe that Russia, France, and the USA should return to the table of the Minsk Group and try to exert pressure on Azerbaijan from all three sides,” emphasized Ruben Vardanyan.