Aliyev Admits He Has Long Planned to Commit Genocide Against the People of Artsakh: Ruben Vardanyan

Former Prime Minister of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan has addressed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's interview with Euronews. He stated, "I would like to make a few important observations from Aliyev’s interview with Euronews. Aliyev openly admits that his life’s mission was to win in the war. This is a very important testament for understanding that Azerbaijan has never wanted to resolve the issue peacefully.

Aliyev offers the Armenians of Artsakh, who currently make up 99.9% of the population, to become a national minority or leave. This is a clear declaration of genocide, which he has long planned and is already implementing through the blockade of Artsakh. Aliyev refers to the November 9 statement as an act of Armenia’s capitulation and calls for an understanding of the balance of power, hinting that his army is stronger.

How are we to comprehend all this? Firstly, these are words from a military aggressor who threatens the security of Artsakh, Armenia, and the entire region. Considering that Azerbaijan is an ally of Turkey, which has long been developing the project of “Greater Turan,” this should be perceived as a threat to the security of the entire continent.

Secondly, these are the words of a dictator challenging the entire European value system and international law, as these words stem from an intention to resolve issues through force, disregarding international law and moral norms. Azerbaijan has not been able to achieve capitulation through war. The people of Artsakh have lived and will continue to live on their land. Even after such brutal experiences, the majority of the Armenians in Artsakh have returned to their homeland, including those who lost their homes during the war.

The position of the Armenian authorities resembles capitulation, but it has nothing to do with Artsakh. Artsakh has fought and continues to fight. And Armenians in Armenia need to understand that Artsakh is fighting not only for itself but also for the statehood of Armenia. If Aliyev considers the November 9 trilateral statement an 'act of capitulation,' then any peace agreement in Azerbaijan’s hands will become a tool to 'close' the issue of Artsakh and target Armenia.

At the same time, the world needs to understand that the issue of Artsakh is not a struggle for food. It has not only a local but also a global geopolitical scope. This is a struggle of a people for independence, for which it has already paid a very high price. It threatens to destroy the complex security system of the continent. It undermines all humanitarian gains of humanity over the last 100 years. I am confident that no one in the world wants genocide to become a historical practice once again."