YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh are under the threat of genocide, therefore, the recognition of the independence of Nagorno Karabakh by the international community and the European countries is the way to prevent it, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan announced in an interview with Italian La Republica.

‘’Turkey’s return to South Caucasus means the resumption of the Armenian Genocide when the Ottoman Empire massacred 1.5 million Armenians’’, Pashinyan said.

To the question about the situation in the frontline, PM Pashinyan answered, ‘’Azerbaijanis bomb cities and villages indiscriminately, targeting particularly the civilian population, making them abandon their homes and hide in shelters. But in the frontline intensive clashes take place, the Armenian side successfully resists, and I can say that the Azerbaijani army has recorded no strategic success.

La Republica – Do you confirm Ankara’s direct involvement?

PM Pashinyan – I think it’s already proved and for substantiating this it’s just necessary to pay attention to public statements. I don’t speak about the publication of New York Times , where Turkish F-16 fighter jets were in Ganja airport. We were alarming during this period that Turkish F-16 jets are involved in the military operations, but they were denying it. Finally, it has been proved. Also it’s very important to pay attention to the public announcements made by high ranking Turkish officials. I will bring an example. When the Presidents and Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries issue a statement that it’s necessary to cease hostilities as soon as possible, Turkey announces that it hopes that Azerbaijan will not cease military operations. It also announces that it supports Azerbaijan both in the diplomatic arena and in the battlefield.

La Republica  - What can you say about the Syrian terrorists in the frontline?

PM Pashinyan – It has been internationally confirmed that Turkey has deployed jihadists in Azerbaijan for helping Azerbaijanis. This is the reason that fights take place also against terrorism in a frontline where civilization counters barbarism. Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are the last obstacle for Ankara’s expansionism and if the international community does hurry to intervene, they will soon see the Turks near the doors of Vienna, like it happened in the 17^th century.

La Republica – What do you expect from the international community?

PM Pashinyan – First of all, to recognize the fact that Nagorno Karabakh has been attacked by Azerbaijan, the troops of which carried out military exercises with the Turkish troops for a month. It’s necessary to understand the danger that the jihadists pose in the conflict zone. And it’s necessary to record that the Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh are under the threat of genocide. Therefore, the recognition of the independence of Nagorno Karabakh by the international community and the European countries is the way to prevent this threat.

To the question if Moscow will intervene if Armenia requests it, Pashinyan said that Russia has some obligations based on a security treaty that refer to concrete cases and circumstances and in case those circumstances occur, Russia will definitely fulfill its treaty obligations.

Editing and translating by Tigran Sirekanyan