YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The announcement of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not only an internal issue for Azerbaijan reflects the reality and can be assessed as a “cold shower” for Azerbaijan, spokesperson of NKR (Artsakh) President David Babayan told “Armenpress”. “Sergey Lavrov’s announcement reflects the reality since Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot be just an internal issue for Azerbaijan. I think by such announcements Lavrov calls on the political leadership of Azerbaijan to waive diplomatic selfishness as considering this conflict as an internal issue of Azerbaijan is wrong and contradicts the international law”, Babayan said.

He added that in reality many conflicting states try to contradistinguish the principles of territorial integrity and the right of nations to self-determination, but in the case of Kosovo’s gaining independence many states and international players like the USA, Germany and others justified in their reports the independence of Kosovo, emphasizing the right of the nations to self-determination. “They said that territorial integrity cannot have a vital role when an issue of self-determination of nations exists. The same situations existed when the Northern Ireland wished to exist from the Great Britain. Great Britain gave its approval despite the fact that the majority of the populations was against, but they did that. There are numerous examples. Now Azerbaijan tries to keep a blind eye on all these cases, and Lavrov’s announcement, in my opinion, was aimed at urging Azerbaijan to waive diplomatic selfishness and put aside its fascist stance”, Babayan concluded.

An Azerbaijani reporter asked the Russian FM whether Russia will intervene in “Azerbaijan’s internal affairs” if the Azerbaijani side launches military operations in Nagorno Karabakh. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in response to the provocative question of the Azerbaijani reporter, said the implementation of military operations in Nagorno Karabakh is not Azerbaijan’s internal affair.