Armenian president: Azerbaijan failed to achieve success in any section of the line of contact
26.04.2016,
11:19
Azerbaijani troops failed to achieve success in any section of the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh in the latest offensive unleashed against -Karabakh defense army in early April since a cease-fire 22 years ago, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Bloomberg last Saturday.
YEREVAN, April 26. /ARKA/. Azerbaijani troops failed to achieve success in any section of the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh in the latest offensive unleashed against -Karabakh defense army in early April since a cease-fire 22 years ago, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Bloomberg last Saturday.
"Of course, we did not possess clear-cut information that April 1 could become the beginning of such events. If we had such information, Azerbaijanis would have suffered very heavy losses and would not have been able to take those few meters that they seized. Nagorno-Karabakh defense army had gained information that an Azerbaijani intelligence-diversion group was going to carry out an operation that night, but they did not know the exact section. The length of the contact line is more than 200 kilometers, and it was difficult to find out where it might happen," he said.
President Sargsyan stressed also that the purpose of Baku is obvious - the solution of the Karabakh problem by military means – i.e. creation of gaps by reconnaissance and sabotage groups and regular troops , and then bring in reserves to deploy there, to reach the highest possible boundary in order to put forward ultimatums.
"This is the maximum program. The minimum program is to punch through at some sections, to go deep several tens of kilometers into Karabakh army-controlled territory and possibly to surround some of our units, civilians, do us a lot of damage. In their opinion, under this scenario we will have to address to different organizations, people, allies and ask for their help in stopping military operations,’ he explained.
Sargsyan said Azerbaijani plans completely failed. According to him, his words are supported by a number of factors.
"For example, the maps that were on a helicopter, downed by Karabakh army, designated clearly the targets, which should have been struck by the Azerbaijani pilots, and these targets were deep behind the defense line," Sargsyan said.
The Armenian leader also stressed that those small pieces of land that remain now under the control of Azerbaijani forces, have no strategic importance.
"Karabakh troops could reclaim them, but they didn’t do it to avoid additional losses of life,’ the president said. --0---
"Of course, we did not possess clear-cut information that April 1 could become the beginning of such events. If we had such information, Azerbaijanis would have suffered very heavy losses and would not have been able to take those few meters that they seized. Nagorno-Karabakh defense army had gained information that an Azerbaijani intelligence-diversion group was going to carry out an operation that night, but they did not know the exact section. The length of the contact line is more than 200 kilometers, and it was difficult to find out where it might happen," he said.
President Sargsyan stressed also that the purpose of Baku is obvious - the solution of the Karabakh problem by military means – i.e. creation of gaps by reconnaissance and sabotage groups and regular troops , and then bring in reserves to deploy there, to reach the highest possible boundary in order to put forward ultimatums.
"This is the maximum program. The minimum program is to punch through at some sections, to go deep several tens of kilometers into Karabakh army-controlled territory and possibly to surround some of our units, civilians, do us a lot of damage. In their opinion, under this scenario we will have to address to different organizations, people, allies and ask for their help in stopping military operations,’ he explained.
Sargsyan said Azerbaijani plans completely failed. According to him, his words are supported by a number of factors.
"For example, the maps that were on a helicopter, downed by Karabakh army, designated clearly the targets, which should have been struck by the Azerbaijani pilots, and these targets were deep behind the defense line," Sargsyan said.
The Armenian leader also stressed that those small pieces of land that remain now under the control of Azerbaijani forces, have no strategic importance.
"Karabakh troops could reclaim them, but they didn’t do it to avoid additional losses of life,’ the president said. --0---
