YEREVAN. – If the hostilities in April 2016 were prolonged, Armenia would have recognized the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). Armenia’s third President Serzh Sargsyan stated this at his press conference Wednesday, answering a journalist's question why Armenia did not recognize Artsakh's independence during the aforesaid events, when before that Sargsyan had stated that if Azerbaijan continued its aggressive policy, Armenia would have no choice but to take the necessary legal steps related to Nagorno-Karabakh.

"I did not say that we will recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh on the very first day of the war; and thank God, those military operations lasted only four days. If they were prolonged, we would definitely have recognized the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh because it would have become obvious that we are determined to also fulfill our promise we had given to our people; that is, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are the guarantor of the security of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Armenia will use everything to protect the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. So, even now I am convinced that if there really will be a large-scale war, the Republic of Armenia is obligated to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said, adding. "When we had stopped the attack of the Azerbaijanis on the very first day—with the perseverance of our commanders and soldiers, I believe excessive haste in that issue could have hindered our further diplomatic success. And I believe there is no doubt that later, that four-day [war] also turned into our diplomatic victory."

According to Serzh Sargsyan, the recognition must be a justified decision based on the situation.

And when asked why he did not become the first passenger of the Yerevan-Stepanakert-Yerevan flight, as he had promised, the third president of Armenia gave a short answer. "Because the first flight was not carried out," he said, noting that he would address the reasons during another press conference, which will be on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.