I Would Negotiate with the Devil for the Sake of My People: Samvel Babayan

“I am ready to negotiate even with the devil for the sake of my people,” declared Samvel Babayan, the president of the United Homeland party, during an interview on Azatutyun.

“Azatutyun”. - Mr. Babayan, you say that two states should talk to each other, but users remind us, how can they negotiate with a country whose president says that the state bodies of Artsakh should be dissolved, and only then can there be talk of amnesty, and officials should resign, especially given the statements that Armenians, as perceived by Aliyev, are a national minority living in Azerbaijan and Artsakh. What can one talk about in this case?

Babayan. - I explain, as long as you don’t have an army, you will be dissolved, you will not have a state; there will be no president of Azerbaijan, there will be a serfdom. That is what we were talking about. In 1992, you didn’t have an army, you were nothing, and he was imposing his will until we created our defense and began to speak as equals. Now, we have wasted more than 2.5 years; I say, people, stop wasting time, you say that Aliyev said this. Well, Aliyev said, go live with Aliyev, why do you torment yourselves so much? When I say, give me 100 days, you have turned it into something else, I am not interested in the position; I came to be by your side, to serve you. If you trust me, you will accept my service, I am ready to do so that we are not part of Azerbaijan, and we will resolve the issues.

“Azatutyun”. - Are you ready to negotiate with Azerbaijan?

Babayan. - I am ready to negotiate even with the devil for the sake of my nation.

“Azatutyun”. - It is said that Arayik Harutyunyan has stated that he is ready to start discussions on the proposals presented by them from the day after the rally. A user says, “I was at the rally with my team,” but I still do not know whether you went to those discussions, met, or not, especially since Arayik Harutyunyan says that he is ready to sit down for dialogue with all political forces. Isn’t it time for Artsakh to divide?

Babayan. - I tell the user clearly that I did not lie to you; we have met with Arayik Harutyunyan. You know that for 2 years, there has been a discussion in Artsakh about the idea of creating an NGO, which we created and operated in the 90s. We discussed it, and despite being against it, I agreed for the sake of our people. But then the opposition forces, who have been beating the drum for 2 years, immediately rejected it. Secondly, there should have been a referendum—did the people trust the president or not, which ideologically, is not in our program, but I still agreed, realizing that the first great power, Russia, would not allow it, Azerbaijan would make noise, and even the road is closed; there is no way a monitor can come to affirm its legality and others. But if that is a desire, they agreed, but the other side rejected it. I would just like the President of Artsakh to announce that yes, both points were accepted by Mr. Babayan for the sake of our people, but the opposing forces rejected them.