Azerbaijan has sharply intensified ceasefire violations by shelling Armenian settlements. Experts estimate that the Russian-Ukrainian war contributed to the activation of Azerbaijan in Artsakh, now a security vacuum has been created in the region. This topic was discussed during the regular issue of Aravot’s “Areresum (Confrontation).”
“They have no right to carry the peace agenda in its current state and in this way.” Vahe Gevorgyan
“Armenia will soon turn to the mediators (OSCE MG Co-Chairs) to initiate peace talks with Azerbaijan. The issue is currently being worked out,” said RA Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan. Former diplomat (former head of the RA Consular Service in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, Deputy Ambassador) and international expert Vahe Gorgyan, commenting on this statement during the “Areresum” program, expressed the opinion that this is the wrong time to start real negotiations on a peace treaty.
“In my opinion, a country in a weak position, which we are at the moment, should avoid the work of the reconciliation agreement with diplomatic means as much as possible.” Reference was made to the fact that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did not want to assess Azerbaijan’s incessant firing in the direction of Armenia and Artsakh at the last sitting of the government, saying, “Let’s just state that there is such a situation and try to focus on solving the problems.”
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Vahe Gorgyan viewed the avoidance of assessments in the context of the government’s claims that they are guided by the peace agenda and signing peace agreement with Azerbaijan is one of the government’s priorities. “It’s another thing. I think that line is wrong. This government of Armenia now has a responsibility to the generations. It has no right to carry the peace agenda in its current state with this horse, because this will mean the record of our defeat on the worst terms we can have now.”
Vahe Gorgyan also expressed the opinion, “As a country, we are not ready for Russia to leave the region. What are we going to do? You have to prepare for that. What do you have to do for that? After 1.5 years of wasted time, at least now we must at least try to quickly create, restore, and recreate the model of the army that we must have in order to resist the world power, because if the war starts again, no one will come to fight for us.”
“Put Russia’s attack on Ukraine and Azerbaijan’s attack on Armenia on the same plate”: Tigran Khzmalyan
The other guest of the “Areresum” program, the leader of the European Party of Armenia Tigran Khzmalyan, referring to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, insisted, “Armenia’s position should be only one: we must be on the right side of history and politics. It is very dangerous to make a mistake here. It would be wrong to maintain allied relations with Russia, which have already destroyed our country, statehood, army, and the entire security system. And now we are given an opportunity to get out of this deadlock with honor.”
According to him, “It is very possible for us now (in politics, diplomacy, also in democratic diplomacy) to put aside Russia’s attack on Ukraine and Azerbaijan’s attack on Armenia. It’s very important. We have to work on it seriously.”
Tigran Khzmalyan also expressed the opinion that being with the West is the reason why Ukraine is able to resist; its allies are strong. “Ukraine would not have survived one day if it had not been officially a member of NATO or the European Union, and by turning this issue into a cause of conflict, nevertheless, we see that Ukraine is receiving huge aid. That’s what we need to get. Without that help, we will not be able to liberate Artsakh.”
Anna ISRAELYAN
