In the current situation, it is unrealistic to think about returning to our territory occupied by Azerbaijan. Shahramanyan

In a conversation with the French Le Figaro, the President of the occupied Artsakh Republic, Samvel Shahramanyan, referring to the rumors that there is a connection between the elections of the 5th President of Artsakh and the subsequent attack, Shahramanyan denied it, reminding that the Azerbaijanis were already accumulating troops on the line of contact.

"It was obvious that after a nine-month siege to weaken us, they were going to attack," he said.

To the question whether there is a state and a government in exile, Shahramanyan answered:

"Yes, the office of the President of Artsakh and the offices of the judicial and legislative structures are located in the building where I am hosting you in Yerevan. Parliamentarians can gather here to vote. To sign an EU decree in October, which stipulates that all government ministers remain in their positions on a voluntary basis."

Answering the question about a possible return, Shahramanyan said:

"In the current situation, it is unrealistic to think about returning to our territory occupied by Azerbaijanis. It is necessary to take into account the realities of the peoples of Azerbaijan and Artsakh who consider themselves enemies. In Baku, Azerbaijanis are taught at school that Armenians are enemies. It will take years for the mindset of the Azerbaijani people to change and peaceful coexistence between the neighbors to become possible. And I am thinking here as much about the Armenians of Armenia as about the Armenians of Artsakh. "How can the authorities of Yerevan consider their country safe when some parts of its territory are already occupied by Azerbaijanis, and the leaders of Baku publicly declare their rights to other territories," he concluded.