Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s comments on the Artsakh issue and the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations leave a very contradictory impression. If we clean them from rhetorical “shells” and “layering,” then the meaning of these statements can be formulated as follows: “We are conducting a constructive dialogue with the country that, as a result of these negotiations, wants to receive a genocide mandate and destroy or deport the population of Artsakh.”
The second part of that resolution certainly reflects the actual reality, and, by the way, the Prime Minister’s statement at the last session of the government that Artsakh has the right to self-defense welcome. But, when that second part is combined with “constructive dialogue” and “peace agenda,” it turns out to be nonsense. If the opponent’s intentions are so unequivocal, then it is unclear what the material of the negotiations should be.
Let’s just list what Azerbaijan demands from us:
- Get to know Artsakh, part of Azerbaijan
- Disband the Artsakh Defense Army
- Place Azerbaijani escorts in the corridor of Berdzor
- To “return” the enclaves to Azerbaijan
- To “repopulate” the Republic of Armenia with Azerbaijanis
- Provide “Zangezur Corridor”.
At the moment, the Armenian authorities have fulfilled only the first requirement by making relevant statements. On the rest, they express their disagreement hesitantly and sometimes more clearly. But let’s assume that all or some of these requirements are fulfilled. What will we get in return? Do you guarantee that Azerbaijan will not attack us? But any reasonable person understands that there are no such guarantees, and no country or international organization can give such a guarantee today.
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Naturally, I do not suggest giving up negotiations. But I recommend that the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister clearly and definitively declare that the above demands are unacceptable for Armenia and will never be acceptable.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
