The Ruben Vardanyan factor was used to kill the agreement reached in the West. Styopa Safaryan, the head of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), said in a conversation with “First News”-(“Arajin lratvakan”).
According to him, with the arrival of Ruben Vardanyan, Stepanakert-Yerevan was an apparent disagreement. “Ruben Vardanyan slandered Yerevan.” Mesrop Arakelyan, the guest of the “Aravot” program “Confrontation,” adviser to former Minister of State of Artsakh Ruben Vardanyan, co-founder of “Aprelu erkir” party Mesrop Arakelyan said that he does not want to comment on such assessments. “Those people sitting in Yerevan who have never been to Artsakh after the war are “concerned” about Artsakh.”
Analysts note that the Armenian government was not against the dismissal of Ruben Vardanyan either. Mesrop Arakelyan said in this regard. “Yes, Ruben Vardanyan’s actions, the struggle for Artsakh also contradicted Armenia’s position regarding Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Azerbaijan and Armenia want to bury this issue and not discuss it; therefore, the silence of Artsakh was beneficial to both Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
Deputy of the “Civil Contract” faction Gagik Melkonyan also told “Azatutyun.” (RFE/RL) “The fact that Ruben Vardanyan was there caused disagreements and misunderstanding among the authorities. Ask him: who sent you, and why did you come to Karabakh? Why did you cause a split in the Karabakh authorities? Of course, the Russians sent you, who sent you. His task was also to drive a wedge between Armenia and Karabakh, how much he criticized the authorities. With the end of Ruben, the wedge between Armenia and Artsakh will emerge, which is desirable.”
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The other program guest, the former Foreign Ministry Secretary General, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Vahagn Melikyan, said. “I cannot comment on absurd thoughts and such approaches. First of all, it is not his idea. We all know very well. We have heard many absurd thoughts expressed, which have not been denied. And this gives me the basis that this is a very well-defined program, a dictated narrative, a position against everything antithetical to their policies.” He added: “Similar cries from Yerevan that he was a dividing factor, what to divide? Maybe he was the most unifying factor we need today, both in Armenia and Artsakh. Unfortunately, they are probably afraid of this, of this ideology.”
There is some dissatisfaction and disappointment in Armenia’s political and political science circles, which, for example, was expressed by Eduard Sharmazanov, a member of the RPA Executive Body, in an interview with 24TV: “Ruben Vardanyan meekly obeyed the dismissal order.” Mesrop Arakelyan responded, “Sharmazanov and his ilk always imagine politics with insults and aggression. At least they are not the ones who should comment on Ruben Vardanyan’s actions. Today’s Artsakh is also the result of the years of their rule.”
By the way, he mentioned Ruben Vardanyan’s words addressed to Araik Harutyunyan at the session of the Artsakh government. “I reviewed your speeches after the war; they were brilliant, deep speeches, Mr. President. I am sure you will sign your words even now; I wish those words would turn into action; people must not lose faith in those words.” And then added: “It is essential to remember that even after the dismissal of Ruben Vardanyan, unfortunately, until now, Artsakh is under siege, and the energy crisis continues. And at least at that moment, generating new processes with political intensity is not effective because regardless of whether Ruben Vardanyan holds any position in Artsakh or not, regardless of whether Arayik Harutyunyan made bigger mistakes with this decision or not, currently, Artsakh has one task: to overcome the blockade a day earlier.” After that, according to him, “sharper evaluations” will be given, and the programs will be published. At the same session, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan presented Stepanakert’s preconditions, principles, and red lines for dialogue with Baku, how the composition of negotiating delegations and other issues should be determined.
Vahagn Melikyan is sure that these principles “cannot be discussed and accepted by Azerbaijan in any way. All their steps show that, and more than all the red lines have been broken.” Vahagn Melikyan is sure that these principles “cannot be discussed and accepted by Azerbaijan in any way. All their steps show that, and more than all the red lines have been broken.”He reminded the concrete examples of what was said and in particular: “The Hague Court makes a decision, the next morning the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan says that we will not implement it, because we consider that there is no blockade.”
Vahagn Melikyan called to come to senses. “To say that we will sit down and decide in what format we will speak, who will listen to you? You are only giving in. Until today, you have only conceded, and it is not only Ruben Vardanyan’s problem here.”
The entire conversation is in the video
ANNA ISRAYELYAN
