Azerbaijan was planning military assault on Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia during the Georgian-Russian August war in 2008, Head of Armenian Democratic Party (ADP) Aram Sargsyan said at Yerevan press conference, July 21.

“The assault target was Karabakh, however, attacking Armenia and mobilizing the army in four directions – Azerbaijan would have eased Karabakh’s positions succeeding in its evil designs,” Sargsyan declared referring to personal sources.

According to him, Azerbaijan planned to seize the opportunity when Georgia unleashed the war against South Ossetia, and “if Saakashvili succeeded in his designs, Azerbaijan could justify its actions presenting Armenia as an aggressor and occupant of its territories.”

“They had ready substantiations and, taking the advantage of RA FM’s passive activities, passed some anti-Armenian resolutions denoting Armenia aggressor and occupant of Azerbaijani territories,” ADP Leader stated.

The military phase of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1991 when the population demanded self-determination. Azerbaijani authorities, under the pretext of the passport regime maintenance, began ethnic cleansing to settle the issue. These large-scale military actions led to mass human losses and material damage.

An armistice was concluded in 1994. Presently, the conflict settlement talks are held through OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs (Russia, US, France) mediation, based on Madrid principles signed in November 2007.