Ambassador Ashot SMBATYAN: “Our initiative will turn South Caucasus into crossroads between East and West, North and South, as it used to be for centuries”
07.12.2023 (Caucasian Journal) It is an honour for Caucasian Journal to welcome His Excellency Ashot SMBATYAN, the Ambassador of Armenia to Georgia and Hungary.
▶ Հայերեն. Read the Armenian version here.
▶ ქართულად: Read the Georgian version here.
Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, welcome to Caucasian Journal. This interview is special for us, because one of the aims of our journal is to support the centuries-old ties between the peoples in our region, to share the achievements, and to discuss the solutions to the problems. So, when I was planning the concept of this interview, I wanted to suggest two main themes to discuss: The implications of the latest developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the relations with Georgia. You are welcome to correct me by guiding me to other subjects, but let me start by expressing the empathy to over 100,000 Armenians who had to leave Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and at this moment are very far from their homes. How would you comment on this — both as a diplomat and as a person?
Ashot SMBATYAN: First, let me thank you for this opportunity. It has been a year since I have been appointed the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia, and I believe that this is a good opportunity to sum up the progress we have had during this year.
I would also like to thank you for your kind words of support regarding the tragedy that happened to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, it is important to hear these words in friendly Georgia. Indeed, the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, followed by forcible displacement of the entire indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh was nothing but an ethnic cleansing, which should have been strongly condemned by the international community. Unfortunately, we have witnessed how 100,000 people were forcibly displaced from their homeland by Azerbaijan.
