YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Serious talk about the peaceful settlement would be possible when terrorists and Turkey leave this region together with their goals. Turkey aims at reinstating the Turkish empire, if that policy succeeds here, Turkey would try to expand towards the territories in continental Europe, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview to France24.

“It’s the continuation by Turkey of the Genocide of Armenians. It’s just that Armenians in the South Caucasus are the last obstacle in the way of Turkey and their expansion towards the north, the east”, the PM said.

Asked whether he thinks that they want to get rid of Armenia, Pashinyan said: “Of course. I have no doubt about it. It has been Turkey’s historic purpose”.

Commenting on the reporter’s observation that Turkey is a NATO member, the Armenian PM said: “That member of NATO two months ago, one month ago attacked another member of NATO – Greece. Let’s look at what Turkey is doing in the Mediterranean Sea, what they are doing in Syria, in Iraq. Today Turkey has a clear objective – to reinstate the Turkish empire. And do not be surprised if that policy succeeds here, don’t be surprised if they attempt to incorporate in that empire not only the Greek islands, but actually expand further towards the continental Europe and their territories in continental Europe. If Turkey succeeds in this, then wait for them in Vienna”.

Asked whether he sees no solution to this other than to mobilize as many people as possible and keep fighting, Pashinyan said serous talk of the peaceful resolution will be possible when the terrorists and Turkey leave this region together with their goals. “Civilization cannot but prevail, will to live, a people with the right to live cannot but prevail. There is no doubt that the Armenian people, which have been living on the Planet Earth for several thousands of years, have the will to live”, the PM added.

Pashinyan said there is only one thing he can say to the people of Azerbaijan: “Ask yourselves to what extent you know the truth about your own people, about your own government and their wealth, about their transactions and about their objectives. I think that the people of Azerbaijan are hostage to a dictatorial government. Armenians have always been a convenient enemy image for Aliyev’s dictatorial rule, for him to be able with this to bypass the problems of democracy, freedoms, human rights, freedom of expression”.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan, Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan