Artsakh’s Presidential Spokesman, David Babayan

STEPANAKERT (ArmRadio)— “Azerbaijan again resorted to its terrorist acts last night, targeting civilian objects in populated areas,” Spokesman for the Nagorno-Karabakh President David Babayan told Public Radio of Armenia.

He described the actions as “non-humanitarian” and typical of a terrorist state.

Babayan said Artsakh Defense Army is taking all measures to restrain the activity of Azerbaijan. “According to the data of our intelligence, they are in panic, and have incurred a great number of losses. This comes to prove that the Azerbaijani authorities are pursuing a criminal policy, including against their own citizens,” David Babayan said.

“We respect the norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. The peaceful population should not serve a shield for the troops. However, this is what Azerbaijan is doing,” the Spokesman said, stressing that “this is typical of criminals and terrorists.”

He said the activeness of the past few days is connected with the negligence of the international community and stressed the need to take a harsher stance on Azeri actions.

Babayan denounced the statements of participants of the UN Forum in Baku, particularly the ex-Prime Minister of Spain, for describing Azerbaijan as an example of tolerance and democracy. He said the failure to punish the terrorists and even encourage them is unacceptable. “They will once fall victim to terrorism they glorify today.”

Against the background of the recent provocative actions of Azerbaijan, including the attempts to unilaterally denounce the agreements on ceasefire, David Babayan stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of confidence-building measures and mechanisms of investigation of border incidents.

“Azerbaijani terrorism is not only a challenge to Karabakh, it is a moral and political challenge to democracy and civilization,” Babayan concluded.