YEREVAN. – Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said Armenia and the international community are doing their best to resolve the Karabakh conflict peacefully.

He said the threat of war always exists, and the Armenian sides are ready for it.

“However, the objective reality is that we estimate the risk of renewed hostilities as low,” Minister said.

He added that the conflict was once solved by military means: we managed to defend ourselves in an imposed war.

Asked about the recent attempt of the act of sabotage by Azerbaijan, Minister Ohanyan said the research shows the escalation of situation is always related to certain dates or meetings. The Minister believes the recent escalation is connected with “Black January” marked in Azerbaijan.

“They do it not realizing that in those days the black days and genocide was perpetrated against Armenian nation,” Ohanyan noted.

By receiving an adequate response and incurring big losses, the Azerbaijani side opens sporadic fire with a fear that Armenian side can punish them, he emphasized.

 “We do not respond to such fire, only to the actions of snipers. International agencies must influence the situation. Azerbaijani leadership must realize there is no alternative to peace talks,” he stated.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am