Attempts to involve Armenia in military tension ‘unacceptable,’ says premier

ANKARA

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Tuesday that attempts to involve his country in a military operation are “unacceptable.”

Pashinyan’s remark came after anti-terror activities were launched by Azerbaijan in the Karabakh region.

Noting that the situation is currently calm on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conditional border line, Pashinyan said Azerbaijan wants to draw Armenia into a war by carrying out anti-terror activities.

"As I said before and will say again, the main and fundamental goal and purpose of this operation is to include Armenia in military operations. I would like to record once again that Armenia is not involved in military operations and there is no army of the Republic of Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh,” said Pashinyan.

He also claimed that Azerbaijan informed Russia about the operation but Moscow did not inform Armenia.

He stressed that there are several internal and external forces that want to involve Armenia in large-scale military operations. "Attempts to involve the Republic of Armenia in a military tension are unacceptable for us,” he said.

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have been tense since 1991 when Armenia occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes in the fall of 2020. The war ended with a Russia-brokered cease-fire.

Tensions between the two nations, however, have continued despite ongoing talks about a long-term peace agreement.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar