SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia—On June 19, Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and Russian President Medvedev visited the Saint Petersburg University, where they attended the ceremony of signing a cooperation program between the universities of Yerevan and Saint Petersburg. At the university, Sarkisian and Medvedev held a brief tête-à-tête meeting. After the meeting, at the request of the journalists, Sarkisian spoke about the latest provocation staged by Azeri armed forces at the Karabagh-Azerbaijan contact line. His words are below.
Late at night, I was informed that the Azeri armed forces took action and made an attempt to penetrate the positions of the Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabagh.
The NK Defense Army retaliated properly and the attempts of the Azeri side were, naturally, aborted and terminated. They were forced to retreat, leaving one dead at the crime scene, and suffering losses. Unfortunately, there were losses on our side too, and I express my heart-felt condolences to the friends and families of four fallen soldiers. Realizing that nothing can relieve their grief, we at the same time believe that our considerate attitude, Karabagh’s reinforced statehood and fortified security of our people will soothe their pain.
Provocations are unacceptable in any circumstance; however, these appalling actions are particularly inexcusable because they took place hours after the trilateral meeting initiated by the president of the Russian Federation. This incident proves that the co-chairs and the involved countries have some things to ponder about. Belligerent statements and unpunished, though not unrequited, provocations always may have similar or much more sinister consequences. I consider this to be also a demonstration of disrespect for the co-chairs.
We approach the negotiations in full awareness, and our goal is unambiguous. We never deviated from our goal and didn’t try to revise something reasoning it with Azerbaijan’s actions such as this one. We are resolute and I am confident that we will achieve recognition of Nagorno-Karabagh’s independence. It is our goal, and I don’t believe there is any reason to revise it.
We hope President Sarkisyan will take action on this attack by the Azeri’s into Artsakh and to finally recognize Artsakh as a free & independent nation and to incorporate Artsakh into the Republic of Armenia.
Stephen,
What sort of action did you have in mind? Any military action would not be a good idea. Even though there have always been back and forth at the front lines, a military action after such an attack that was seen by the whole world would probably escalate.
DEAR ARMENIAN,
PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MUST CONSIDER THREE OF FOLLOWING ACTIONS, 1-THE MOST EFFECTIVE DEFENCE IS OFFENCE ( THIS TIME OUR DEFENCE WAS UNSATISFACTORY)
2- RECOGNITION OF ARTSAKH IS NECESSITY (HOW WE EXPECT FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH AND WE DON’T)
3-WE HOPE PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEAN IT WHAT HE SAYS….HE SHOULD REMIND THE ENEMY AND SUPER POWERS THAT ARMENIAN NATION ARE SERIOUS TO DEFEND ARTSAKH FOR ANY COAST
In answer to Random Armenian, the type of attack should be to invade the Azeri’s to show that we Armenians will not sit back while our soldiers are killed one by one. The Oil pipeline should be destroyed going from Baku to Georgia into Turkey and the District of Sharumyan should be retaken back. We have been too soft and world nations sit back and give no backing to the Armenian People who have suffered over the centuries since 1064 when the Seljuk Turks invaded Asia Minor causing massacre after massacre and moslemizing the Christian Population by the millions. Wake up my boy and read the true history not Turkish & Azeri Propaganda.