“Everything is solved with a call from Moscow”
“Aravot” online “Face to Face” program hosts the debate between Albert Baghdasaryan, Supreme Council MP and Armen Martirosyan, Vice-Chairman of “Heritage” party, on the recognition of the NKR by Armenia.
In 1988, by the decision of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR, the Autonomous Region of Nagorno-Karabakh became a part of the Armenian SSR. On December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh and as a result, Nagorno-Karabakh was declared an independent state.
So far, various politicians in different situations talk about of necessity for the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia or its possible threats. In 2007, the chairman of the “Heritage” party acted with an initiative on the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh at the parliament. It failed. After the four-day war in April, the issue is again urgent. On April 2, at the Security Council session, President Serzh Sargsyan instructed to prepare a document on military cooperation between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, which also implies that Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. “Heritage” faction MP Zaruhi Postanjyan again introduced the draft on the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh. Hrant Bagratyan joined her.
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Nelly Grigoryan – Mr. Martirosyan, have you calculated what are the benefits of Armenia’s recognition of NKR? Would it solve the available problems, or new ones will be added to it?
Armen Martirosyan – Among all the substantiations on which they have not accepted our approach, basically, only one was reasoned in connection with the war. But we had answered this question: Azerbaijan will start a war not depending on whether we will recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence or not but exclusively because of the fact if it feels its military advantage over Armenia.
N. G. – Which in fact happened.
A. M. – Which in fact happened. It was obvious that after the year 2011, it bought 5 billion dollars’ worth weapons only from Russia. There was also Israel and other countries to buy weapons from.
To a particular degree, it felt that it has an advantage of arms over Armenia and it kicked off the hostilities in April. There was no substantial explanation on other respects, and no one can say that the recognition of the independence is a slap at the co-chairing countries and a lack of respect towards them. There is no such thing in the world. You are just exercising your sovereign right in the foreign political field. Certainly, this would cause a particular upset to the authorities and the international community in the sense that the situation would be somewhat changed, and they will have to reconcile and act in accordance with it. While it would cause a discomfort for the RA authorities because for preserving their place in the government by these rigged elections, they have always said that they will go for concessions. The international community represented by the RA authorities needs a more moderate opponent which they obtain with rigged elections.
What will the recognition of NKR give to Armenia? We have calculated: it gives an opportunity of sovereignty to Armenia. Eventually, should Armenia be detached from implementing direct Russian instructions here? Until now, Armenia was moving by Russia’s dictation: CSTO, accession to EaEU, Karabakh issue … until now we see that on April 4 we got a call from Moscow saying, let us sign a ceasefire agreement, and so it was in the event when the Artsakh forces were already counterattacking, the Azeri troops were in a panic while Azerbaijan had occupied positions in its hands. They still have them. A few hundred meters mentioned by the authorities, unfortunately, does not meet the reality. Armenia has ceded more territories, and the number of positions is much more than the government mentions. But there was a chance not only re-liberate these positions but also to move forward which was suspended by the Russian command.
N. G. – Mr. Baghdasaryan, do you think that by the recognition of NKR, Armenia obtains a chance to restore its sovereignty?
Albert Baghdasaryan – If we proceed by this logic, I would recommend instead of recognizing the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, recognize Artsakh as Armenia’s integral part and the issue will be switched to a patriotism platform: by what borders? No notion of historical justice exists in the international politics. You can place it as a substantiation for specific results, but you cannot reach a result with it. Nagorno-Karabakh with its problem, as an independent unit, is recognized by the world for two reasons: the military victories in 1994 and in 1990-94, Armenia was perceived in the Transcaucasia as an island of democracy whose development trends were considered in line with the international norms. During that time, even the Yeltsin developments were considered European. Everybody was thinking that Soviet totalitarianism is over, and no one could have imagined that some twenty years later, the new Putin imperial policy will introduce a new cold war into the world politics.
Both the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh and taking it as a part has the same political substantiations, which I am for. But there is also the momentum. If we had recognizes the independence or unification of Nagorno-Karabakh on April 2, 3, 4, 5, and even 6, it would be acceptable for the world. But if the world has accepted it, we have again passed to the “status quo” and you do that … I think we would cause more headache with this than it will give political results.
N. G. – The fact that after the four-day war, the government should have taken steps and does not do, however, they are not visible, it is understandable but constantly talking about the recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh and constantly keeping the issue on the agenda, are we not making it a broken money?
A. M. – No.
N. G. – Especially since we witnessed how a few days ago the government in an ignorant way used the draft of the opposition MPs and its discussions.
A. M. – I would say that it used in a very smart way. It could even exceed the Constitutional Court by the adoption of its decisions …
A. B. – It seems to me there is nothing profundity here. It was a result of a call from Moscow, an official had called his subordinate saying that this should be so while we are sitting and discussing seriously.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
“Aravot” daily
