If there are no Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, deporting Armenians from their land today will be a purely technical issue for Azerbaijan. The opposite is also true: if there are no Armenians in Artsakh, peacekeepers will not be needed. Any unbiased person will accept those two truths. Of course, some individual dreamers believe that replacing the Russian peacekeepers with an American, French, or NATO contingent is possible. It’s a fantasy, but if those people think it’s possible, let them propose to the authorities they would like to invite that contingent to Armenia. Let that contingent be stationed in Goris, be ready, and as soon as the Russians leave let them immediately take their place. If someone thinks about such a prospect without a smile, I envy their optimism.
Does accepting the need for Russian peacekeepers mean sympathizing with Putin’s current Russia? Not at all. Russia is a decaying, rotting, and historically doomed empire and Putin’s attack on Ukraine brings that end closer. Russia needs to keep its army in Artsakh to have playing cards in trade with Turkey, not because it is our “ally” or because that country is very concerned about the safety of the people of Artsakh. But it is in Russia’s interest to stay here for now.
Naturally, Azerbaijan and Turkey need the peacekeepers to leave and Artsakh to be depopulated as soon as possible. Western states, which are now in hostile relations with Russia, are also interested in Russia leaving the South Caucasus. Naturally, the West has nothing against us: the depopulation of Artsakh and then the annexation of Armenia by Turkey is just a “side effect,” which is unpleasant for the West but ultimately bearable.
Unfortunately, the Armenian authorities have also come to terms with the prospect of the depopulation of Artsakh. Of course, they do not have such a desire, but they consider the Artsakh problem an unnecessary headache. Hence, the hatred towards the people of Artsakh was propagated almost at the official level.
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However, there are also irreconcilables: the heroic people living in Artsakh, as well as we, the Armenians, who believe that the depopulation of Artsakh will close the page of Armenian statehood. Of course, the page of the Armenian nation will not be closed, and we will continue to survive as an ethnic group. For most people, that’s probably enough.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
