It is necessary to increase the number of the peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Acting Foreign Minister of Artsakh David Babayan told about this to a press conference Tuesday in Yerevan.

"[Just] 1,980 [Russian] peacekeepers along the entire perimeter is not enough. Secondly, we have proposed to give the [Russian] peacekeepers [there] an international mandate—preferably from the UN Security Council. This will give international legitimacy and enable to prevent such provocations [by Azerbaijan]. Now, the peacekeepers do not have the authority to enforce to maintain peace, as was the case in Kosovo and elsewhere. The international mandate will give a new quality to the mission, and then maybe the situation would be more stable. There has been a gross violation [by Azerbaijan] of the international agreements of November 9, 2020," said the acting FM of Artsakh.

Babayan emphasized that the security of Nagorno-Karabakh will not be ensured without the Russian peacekeeping mission there.

"As I already said, the mandate [of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh] is different from the mandate of the peacekeepers in Kosovo, Bosnia, and other places. They ensure that the parties fulfill their obligations in a civilized manner. But if terrorism has reached the level of state policy among one of the parties, then the peacekeepers find themselves in a difficult situation. The entire road passes through the territory of Azerbaijan. The multitude, including women, comes. How will you, for example, act instead of the peacekeepers? That is why we say that it is necessary to extend the mandate, increase the number of [Russian] peacekeepers [in Artsakh], and give [them] an international mandate," Babayan emphasized.

And to the question whether these Russian peacekeepers can resolve the matter by force, the acting FM of Artsakh answered in the negative, saying that they do not have the authority to use force, and this seemingly small issue needs to be resolved at the state level.

"It may seem small to someone, but for us it is a matter of life and death," added David Babayan.