Interview with NA MP Margarit Yesayan
– President Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at the CSTO session won the praise even many of the members of the opponents of the ruling RPA party. It’s been more than two years since Azerbaijan keeps the borders tense and various subjects of Armenia’s political field are talking about the attitude of the CSTO while the RPA representatives were bringing different reasons for smearing the responsibility. Why did the president decide to speak in such a harsh language now? Whom was the reproach addressed? What is the role of Russian-Turkish relations or the Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Switzerland in all of this?
– In all his speeches both in the country and outside the country, the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, always and, first of all, is honest, his words are always equivalent to the reality in which the world and, of course, we are living. Both in his previous public positions and during his tenure as president, he is committed to one important principle: any move, speech or a phenomenon against the interests of the Republic of Armenia shall not remain unanswered. Our security guarantee is our national army, but the army commander-in-chief is similarly a guarantee of security that could not but prevent and counter any political, economic and military assault against his country. Under this border situation, in a hybrid war conditions, the RA President’s speech could not be a procedural, especially during Armenia’s presiding in the CSTO, a structure in which Armenia is a co-founder and active member. Of course, the CSTO member states, which are located in Europe and Asia, have their own interests and objectives, but if they have gathered in one structure, then they are obligated to respect their own decision, the honor of their signature, which is the honor of the state. We are not always aware of foreign policy moves of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, which are made both in secret and in public but do not appear in our news, but even what is known is enough ground for Serzh Sargsyan to ask questions to his colleagues, name by name, about which they have to think longer before answering. The Russian-Turkish relations have their impact by the geopolitical level and cannot but impact also on Armenia, Russia is our strategic ally while Turkey is our neighbor. William Saroyan used to say, if there is shooting in any corner of the world, it comes and gets to the Armenians. Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Bern, I think, once again stated that Baku is not ready to solve the problem and the adequate perception of the reality, and opens a fire on the borders day and night because of fear that when adopting decision in the geopolitical centers, they will consider not the de facto existing Nagorno-Karabakh Republic interests, but will think that changes in the status are still possible. It is an illusion that Baku has made it a sheath for itself and got into it, closing the eyes and opening the mouth for just saying that the only principle that I know is the territorial integrity. Period, do not count on me, I do not see, do not hear and do not understand.
– Do you know how the president’s of the CSTO member countries have responded to Serzh Sargsyan’s tough remarks?
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– What should they say that they do not sell weapons to Azerbaijan, that they do not vote against the interests of Armenia at the international structures, that there is a strong cooperation between them, Azerbaijan and Turkey, which does not only fit in the frames of the CSTO Charter but also international accepted norms? Or, should they have told that they will not do it anymore, they did not know that Armenia is upset with it. Certainly, not. But from now on they heard and will know that Armenia also reserves the right to adequate stance.
– The meeting of Presidents Sargsyan and Aliyev in Switzerland, as expected, proved fruitless. Azerbaijan remained to his position, the borders are again in a tense situation, only the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs somehow clarified their position. At the same time, the US co-chair announced that the meeting of the presidents ended with a toast. What was the reason for Sargsyan and Aliyev to toast?
– What result did you expect? Was Aliyev going to give an order from Bern, guys, we are not going to shoot anymore, we are going home, and will appear here next time for signing the peace agreement? The Minsk Group co-chairs, the US Congress currently are doing necessary steps incurred from the situation and aimed at restoration of the ceasefire, it is not a coincidence that Azerbaijan is already intimidating the US with sanctions and demands its representative to recall from Minsk Group as a non-objective party. Can you imagine what an absurd in Baku? When a person does not have an adequate behavior, he represents a threat to his narrow circles, but when a whole nation does not have an adequate behavior, and the second next to it, then the two together become a big threat for the region. This is the situation: both Azerbaijan and Turkey have lost their senses of time and place, the assessment of their true capacities. Ankara and Baku have forgotten all the options of political communication and have kept just the cannons in the memory, it is a classic example of political depression. And for what and who has offered a toast, ask James Warlick when you meet him, I was not in Bern.
Nelly GRIGORYAN, “Aravot” daily
