Artsakh President: dialogue cannot be by compulsion

YEREVAN, August 7. /ARKA/. There can be no dialogue between Azerbaijan and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) by compulsion, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan said in an interview with Artsakh Public TV.

"There seems to be a tacit agreement to leave us all alone against Azerbaijan. There used to be a dialogue between Artsakh and Azerbaijani side when the latter respected our dignity, understood that we have rights," Harutyunyan said in a reference to various platforms, including through the mediation of Russian peacekeepers to organize talks between the two sides.

He reminded that earlier these meetings had only social and infrastructural character and there was a dialogue, and there was a result, but since December 12 Azerbaijan has changed its behavior. Direct dialogue and conversations held in an atmosphere of respect turned into a pressure on part of Baku, according to Harutyunyan.

"Therefore, the previous dialogue cannot be compared with today's dialogue. At that time we had free communication with Armenia and the opportunity to communicate directly with the international community, not by phone, but by visiting and organizing meetings. Therefore, we should restore that format, after which there can be a real dialogue or negotiations," Harutyunyan noted.

According to him, Artsakh has the toolkit to continue the struggle.  "I will address the international actors in the coming days, because in order to demand dialogue, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions," Harutyunyan said.