New York Times Publishes Response of NKR Representative to the Letter of Azerbaijani Ambassador

NEW YORK — The New York Times has published the response of Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the USA Robert Avetisyan to the letter of the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United States.

Avetisyan explains that the “existence of the democratic Nagorno-Karabakh Republic proves that true democracy is possible, even in conditions of a permanent threat of foreign aggression.”

The New York Times notes that “The writer is the representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the United States.”

The article reads:

A Jan. 21 letter from Azerbaijan’s ambassador seems to be calling on the United States to disregard the continued campaign against human rights and freedoms in his country. Instead, he suggests turning attention to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, which remains unresolved because of Azerbaijan’s revanchist aspirations.

Apparently, the recent increase in bloody attacks against Nagorno-Karabakh is how the Azeri leadership has chosen to distract attention, both domestic and international, from its suppression of liberties and dissent. The Azeri leadership must realize that by doing so it only deepens the gap with the international community, and delays a solution of the regional problems.

Azerbaijan must stop using pretexts, including military provocations, to justify domestic shortcomings. Existence of the democratic Nagorno-Karabakh Republic proves that true democracy is possible, even in conditions of a permanent threat of foreign aggression.

The people and democratically elected government of my country, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, are interested in peace, prosperity and democracy in all regional states, including neighboring Azerbaijan.