Sarkisian threatens Azerbaijan with 'preventive' strikes

Sarkisian spoke on January 26 at a ceremony marking the 23rd anniversary of Armenia's armed forces and mentioned the recent spike in violence in the decades-old conflict over Azerbaijan's rebel region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said his country was open to negotiations and building "bridges of trust" but added if the current tensions along the border continue to increase "hotheads [in Azerbaijan] can expect some surprises."

Sarkisian warned if Armenia sees threats gathering along its borders "we reserve the right to carry out preventative strikes."

Armenia captured nearly one-fifth of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory including Nagorno-Karabakh in a war after the Soviet breakup in 1991.

While major hostilities ended with a cease-fire in 1994, no peace agreement has been signed.

Armenia has yet to comply with four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal from the occupied territory.

Azerbaijan says it reserves the right to use force to regain control of the territory should peace efforts led by Russia, France and the US fail.

 

(RFE/RL contributed to this report)