By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The statement by the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry’s that Baku is ready to give Armenians in Karabakh the right of self-government at a high level within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, has caused a stormy rejection in Armenia.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry in a media statement hurried to reassure the Armenian public and assure that Yerevan "reaffirms its position on the priority status of Nagorno-Karabakh and its security." So, Armenian Foreign Ministry tried to teach Baku how to build a diplomatic dialogue, accused him of incontinence and pointed to the inadmissibility of "presenting their own one-sided point of view".

However, Baku continues its hard stance in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and does not pay attention to the empty statements of Armenian FM. The granting of an independent status to a self-proclaimed entity created by Armenia in the occupied Azerbaijani territories has never been the subject of discussion. Azerbaijani side has never concealed that there will be no "independent Karabakh", but there can be autonomy with a high degree of self-government within the borders of Azerbaijan. If Armenia continues its occupation policy, war is inevitable and in this case, Nagorno-Karabakh region will not receive the autonomy at all.

The first option for the Armenian side would be beneficial, and it should put aside fantasies and unrealistic dreams and think about it. This is the biggest concession that Baku is ready to make, given the enormous evil that Armenia brought to the region and the amount of innocent Azerbaijani blood, shed during the occupation. Karabakh Armenians themselves, remember very well what luxurious life was in Azerbaijan, which was destroyed by the nationalists with the beginning of the conflict.

Such a panic reaction in Armenia can be regarded as a demonstration of the fears existing in Armenia about the Karabakh Armenians, who can suddenly come to their senses and realize the realities.

First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that the "inalienable right" of the Armenians of Karabakh, who "will determine their own destiny."

It is worth remembering that the nationalists during the conflict did not allow the Armenians of Karabakh to decide their own fate and attributing to them, who lived well in peace and harmony alongside the Azerbaijanis, the desire for "independence." And Karabakh Armenians for more than 25 years of conflict already understood that the temporarily occupied region has no prospects for any future.

Hysterical warnings about any threats to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in the event of the “surrender” of the territories are completely untenable. The greatest threat to the Armenians of Azerbaijan is the ongoing conflict, which, due to the fault of Yerevan, may at any time enter a hot phase. Armenian authorities perfectly remember April 2016, when residents of front-line villages and soldiers of the Armenian army fled to Yerevan.

The voluntary return of occupied Azerbaijani lands will return the peace and prosperity that local Armenians used to have until 1988. Hope, the Armenian society will understand this in 2019.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

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