FRONT MOVED INLAND

Interview with Public Council Chairman Vazgen Manoukyan

– How do you assess the current stage of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and what is your forecast?

– The problem consists of 3 parts: 1. Status of Artsakh, 2. Rectification of borders, 3. Issue of refugees. But the main is the issue of the status of Artsakh, which is still not resolved. Anyway, Karabakh will never belong to Azerbaijan. Karabakh declared independence according to all international laws, it was imposed war, and Artsakh won that war. In Karabakh a generation grows, which was born in an independent and sovereign country. And in the world history there is no such a precedent that on the will or signature of other countries an independent country loses its independence.

– In whose favor is working time?

– Azerbaijan’s economy develops, GDP is growing thanks to oil, which has positive effect on the material support of the Army. And regarding Artsakh, time shows that Karabakh is placed in the logic of world development. I believe that our government does not use effectively the time given to us, and corruption significantly slows down the development of our economy.

The front from the front line moved into the sphere of the economy. If we can win on this front as well, then the time exactly will work in our favor.

– What impact had the tension of the last time at the borders of Armenia and Karabakh?

– The tension arises from the initiative of Azerbaijan. It is natural that Azerbaijan should always keep his people in suspense, to sow enmity and hatred towards Armenians. They also think that intensification of fighting on the border stimulates the migration from Armenia. Recent clashes on the border showed that despite the internal discontent, but when it comes to homeland, we can unite.

– Are you satisfied with the fighting capacity of the army?

– Today in our country, the army is the most organized, the most established structure. Now Azerbaijan has a new tactics, it discredits Armenia in front of the international community speaking about Armenia’s difficult economic situation, poverty, migration. However all know that on the issues of democracy and human rights protection Azerbaijan cannot be compared with Armenia, more over – with Karabakh. Armenia and Karabakh with all their shortcomings are thousand times closer to the model of democratic states than Azerbaijan, where Aliyev is a president till the end of his life, where there are political prisoners.

– Could you compare the armies of Armenia and Azerbaijan?

– There is nothing to compare. Even during the war the Azerbaijani army was deep in corruption. Today it is the most corrupted system in the state structure. Azerbaijani mass media cannot present the reality, and in our country there is a freedom of speech, and this is one of the guarantees of the country’s progress.

GAYANEH POGHOSYAN