Ruben Mehrabyan: Armenian forces in Karabakh could not occupy their own selves

PanARMENIAN.Net - European Commission’s report on European Neighbourhood Policy contains statements with both semantic and calendar inaccuracies, according to Ruben Mehrabyan, expert at the Armenian Center for Political and International Studies.

As he stated in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, in 1990, Armenian forces were physically unable to “occupy” Karabakh for a simple reason: was already occupied by USSR interior troops headed by Operation Ring leader General Safonov.

“As for Nagorno Karabakh “occupation” by “Armenian forces”, the term is not specific enough. At that time, Karabakh’s Armenian units, composed of local volunteers, were fighting to defend themselves. These people had no other choice in terms of hostility shown by Baku and Moscow’s party leadership. Armenian population could either defend themselves or leave their motherland, thus following the example of Armenians residing in Azerbaijan. Having chosen the first option, Armenian forces could not occupy their own selves.

By that time, however, Baku had no real power in Karabakh, which could be given different names, but not an occupation on behalf of Armenia. What happened next, namely, intensification of armed conflicts escalating to full-scale war, was caused by Azerbaijan’s wish to re-establish control over Karabakh, with Armenian side showing resistance.”

“Azeri sources construe the statement as European Commission’s recognition of the fact of Karabakh’s occupation by Armenia, the interpretation being much too loose. I believe, such ignorant statements in European Committee’s annual report should be adequately responded by Armenian Foreign Ministry. Provincialism official Yerevan shows towards European Neighborhood Policy, creates favorable grounds for voicing of certain statements. Official Yerevan fails to implement real values, principles and standards of unified Europe. I do not preclude that Armenian Foreign Ministry will keep indifferent silence, allowing such interpretations to voiced in future, which I regret to note,” Ruben Mehrabyan emphasized.

“The main development in Armenia over the past year was the signing of protocols on normalising relations with Turkey in October, mainly through Swiss mediation. However, the ratification procedure stalled after Turkey linked the opening of the border and the establishment of diplomatic relations to progress in peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno Karabakh, a territory inside Azerbaijan that was occupied by Armenian forces in the 1990s. Armenia suspended ratification in April, blaming Turkey for the lack of progress,” European Neighbourhood Policy report said, European Voice reported.