The current situation in Lachin Corridor is directly connected with what had happened over 30 years ago in Baku and Sumgait, Azerbaijan’s methods can change from time to time but their ultimate goal is the same – to get rid of Armenians, thus as a main objective Armenians must display and raise awareness for the whole world the continuity of Azerbaijan’s policy, expert in Azerbaijani studies and former lawmaker Tatevik Hayrapetyan told ARMENPRESS.
“These days we mark the 33rd anniversary of the Baku pogrom, and in February we will mark the 35th anniversary of the Sumgait pogrom. The European Parliament has well-known resolutions and statements regarding these events, in 1990, 1991 and 1992. These are rather important statements. Commemorating and properly presenting these events are an important preventative action. Everything that’s happening today in Artsakh is to some extent its continuation. Methods can change from time to time or adjust to the situation, but the ultimate goal is the same, to get rid of Armenians. And the Azerbaijani side is not concealing this. Thus, our main objective must be to display the continuity of that signature’s policy,” Hayrapetyan said.
The Azerbaijani side, as always, continues to deny what happened to Armenians 33 and 35 years ago. Hayrapetyan said that on the backdrop of Azerbaijan speaking about the Azeris who’ve left Armenia and presents figures, the Armenian side also has a huge factual database regarding this all. “We don’t need to falsify anything. We must be able to clearly present it all and keep it in the agenda. If we don’t mention these issues, make records, then we lose the opportunity to revisit the issue later on,” she said.
Speaking about Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s territorial aspirations against Armenia, Hayrapetyan said this is the continuation of Azerbaijan’s policy of falsifying history. Azerbaijan is making aspirations against the entire Republic of Armenia, is circulating a narrative regarding the Azeris who’ve left Armenia, and is falsely calling the current territory of Armenia as “Western Azerbaijan”. “This means they are making territorial demands against the entire territory of Armenia. What is this if not their readiness to resort to a possible aggression? And what can the Armenian side do – to accurately communicate this all to the international community, to show that the problem isn’t only Nagorno Karabakh, Nagorno Karabakh is simply a method for Azerbaijan to continue its actions in the future against the territory of Armenia,” Hayrapetyan said.
Hayrapetyan attached importance to the European Parliament’s resolution which was adopted recently regarding the Lachin Corridor blockade. She said the resolution is very targeted and clear. The ex-MP said the resolution is highly important and that work needs to be continued.
“Work in this direction must continue as long as the international pressure against Azerbaijan reaches a point where Azerbaijan will understand that they can no longer withstand it, it will lead to sanctions, launch of a humanitarian air bridge, and they’ll be unable to do anything. They must realize that not only will it not lead to their desired result, but that it will actually lead to the opposite results. And in my opinion they will open the corridor from that pressure,” Hayrapetyan said.
The former lawmaker said the blockade of Lachin Corridor is directly connected with the continuation of Azerbaijan’s policy which also took place 33 years ago in Baku.
Anna Grigoryan
