He specifically reaffirmed his opposition to the return of most of the Azerbaijani districts around Karabakh that were occupied by Karabakh Armenian forces during the 1991-1994 war. Babayan commanded those forces at the time and served as the disputed region’s defense minister until 1999.
“Assume we return [those territories,]” he said. “What will we get in return? Will there be peace? I don’t think so.”
“We have spent the past millennium ceding territories,” added the once powerful general. “Has that made any difference? The land belongs to those who live there. Period.”
The most recent framework peace accord put forward by international mediators envisages that the return of at least six of the seven Armenian-occupied districts would be followed by a referendum in which Karabakh’s predominantly Armenian population would determine the region’s status. The U.S., Russian and French mediators hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon sing up to the plan.
However, Babayan, who has been based in Yerevan since 2005, predicted that the Karabakh peace process will remain deadlocked. “In my opinion, Azerbaijan is dragging out negotiations to again go to war,” he told journalists during a presentation of his newly published memoirs of the Karabakh war.
“We always say that Azerbaijan is not yet ready for war,” said Babayan. “But I disagree with that. It is ready, but it may lose. They are now trying to ensure that they will succeed by 100 percent.”
“It is incumbent on our political and military leaders not to let the enemy think that it can succeed,” he added.
“Assume we return [those territories,]” he said. “What will we get in return? Will there be peace? I don’t think so.”
“We have spent the past millennium ceding territories,” added the once powerful general. “Has that made any difference? The land belongs to those who live there. Period.”
The most recent framework peace accord put forward by international mediators envisages that the return of at least six of the seven Armenian-occupied districts would be followed by a referendum in which Karabakh’s predominantly Armenian population would determine the region’s status. The U.S., Russian and French mediators hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon sing up to the plan.
However, Babayan, who has been based in Yerevan since 2005, predicted that the Karabakh peace process will remain deadlocked. “In my opinion, Azerbaijan is dragging out negotiations to again go to war,” he told journalists during a presentation of his newly published memoirs of the Karabakh war.
“We always say that Azerbaijan is not yet ready for war,” said Babayan. “But I disagree with that. It is ready, but it may lose. They are now trying to ensure that they will succeed by 100 percent.”
“It is incumbent on our political and military leaders not to let the enemy think that it can succeed,” he added.