Azerbaijan needs to accept and respect the position of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) who do not see their future as part of Azerbaijan, Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan said Tuesday, December 6.

“The people of Artsakh do not see their future as part of Azerbaijan & this position is clear. Azerbaijan needs to accept and respect it: we are ready to live side by side as neighbors but we cannot live together,” Vardanyan said on Twitter.

Vardanyan said he has spoken about the matter, as well as the consequences of Azerbaijan’s recent aggression against Armenia in an interview with the German public TV channel ZDF.

“The big rally of Stepanakert back in October was also covered. We in Artskah highly welcome international media representatives who want to see the reality on the ground and tell the world the truth about Artsakh & its people,” the State Minister said.

Vardanyan renounced his Russian citizenship and moved to Karabakh in September, and was offered the position of State Minister roughly two months later.