We asked deputy of the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Relations Hovhannes Igityan about how Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan frequently uses the word “educated” to describe Ilham Aliyev, and how former authorities wonder how Aliyev suddenly is considered to be an educated and cultured individual. Igityan responded, “I remember that another president used words that suited him. I do not think that we need to take this word out of context, which is not aimed towards the Azeri people nor towards our people, but instead to the international community, including the Minsk group. Imagine what would happen if Nikol Pashinyan called him ignorant and other such things. I do not think that would be diplomatically correct.”
“I am convinced that Nikol Pashinyan’s opinion of Ilham Aliyev is that he is aggressive, not as an individual, but instead in this phase of negotiations, because he even makes announcements about Yerevan… it is clear. What Pashinyan says about Aliyev, if we are to translate it from the diplomatic language, is that Aliyev is an aggressor. When we explain that he sees no other option to resolve this conflict besides a military resolution, it means that he truly is an aggressor.”
“Do not consider “educated” as a compliment here. He probably graduated from school, he was probably a member of the political bureau, he definitely went to a good school, and he probably has higher education. Understand that this simply was meant to say that he is someone with higher education. I am convinced that he definitely has higher education.”
Hripsime Jebejyan
