We Are Leading the Region to War: Samvel Babayan

If we make a political decision to pursue peace with Azerbaijan and Turkey, I hint to our authorities that the questions about the route are not even asked of you. They force you to do it by hitting and beating, and you do not do it because you promised that neighbor you would not, and this will lead to regional war. This is what former Prime Minister of Artsakh Samvel Babayan mentioned in an interview with NEWS.am.

“Secondly, if we ignore the interests of Iran and Georgia, and proceed to open that route, we must negotiate with Azerbaijan about how we will transit through their territory, what guarantees will exist. Secondly, Azerbaijan should supply us with gas at $160, as Russia currently supplies. Are Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the Western powers ready to forgive Armenia's $10 billion debt, as they did for Georgia? And how about the $800 million that Armenia is currently paying in interest, should that money be used to maintain its border troops? Is the West prepared for that? If not, then we close that topic, end of discussion, and move on to the next one.

I’m saying that we are leading the region to war, but we are not preparing the army for it. We are not preparing for anything. Like a capricious child, we say, 'I don’t want this, I don’t want that', but we do nothing at all. This is the role we are in,” said Samvel Babayan.

In response to the comment that if they take the 85 million market out from under Russia, then how come they are not against Russia on the Meghri road, Babayan said, “Russia is currently in a situation where the transportation of gas and oil is being carried out through Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan is a serious partner for it. But there will come a phase when it can no longer tolerate this and will realize that it is leading to its own explosion. We should not be the reason for that.”