Human rights activist: Nobody forced Armenians to leave Karabakh

Armenian human rights activist Vardan Harutyunyan has said that the Armenians left Karabakh because they felt threat, but they were not forced.

“The current situation is the result of our mistakes and it is completely inappropriate to look for mistakes or guilt on the other side, among the Europeans, the Russians,” Harutyunyan said during a conversation on the Factor TV channel, commenting on the departure of Armenians from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports.

“We follow the path we have chosen and have been walking for many years, without looking left or right, and we have reached the refuge to which our chosen path has led us. Therefore, during this interview, I would ask you not to make any claims against Azerbaijanis. I don't have a problem with them, I have a problem with Armenians. Azerbaijan solved the problem. We had a problem, 'Artsakh' is ours and that’s all, they [the Azerbaijanis] have a problem, 'Artsakh' is theirs and that’s all. Azerbaijan solved the problem, well or badly, through war or peace, with agreement or without it. We have not solved our problem, and in this regard, there is no need to target anyone,” the human rights activist noted.

“I think that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan not only is real but also necessary, inevitable and obligatory. There can be no other option, and the other option is war. There must definitely be the Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish reconciliation because this comes primarily from the interests of the Armenians, as well as from the interests of the Azerbaijanis and Turks. We must live in a peaceful region. To live in this peaceful region, we must understand that every step we take should be based on reality, rather than on our desires, dreams, feelings, and resentment. Reality forces us to go for peace, and we must choose peace,” he added.