Do Kocharyan and Sargsyan consider that what is happening to Armenia and Artsakh is highly legal, and do Armenia and Artsakh deserve this situation?
50, 100, or 200 years later, when the pages of today’s history with Armenia and Artsakh are studied, they will not be interested in the episodic events of weeks and months. In 50, 100, and 200 years, conclusions and records will be easier to make than today. The Armenian government and political opposition forces know how to occupy the society.
After the 44-day war, it seemed that Armenia should turn on the “SOS” button, come to its senses, and act to make Armenia stand up. But what has been happening for almost three years now? Pashinyan makes another speech, makes another accusation, removes the responsibility of solving the problems fatal for Armenia and Artsakh from the scope of his obligations and direct duties as the current government, and that’s it, he pulls aside. To whom Pashinyan makes accusations, they “counteract” Pashinyan for several days and weeks until the next sensational event. And so forth.
50, 100, or 200 years from now, the details of these truly insignificant “events” will not interest the masses. There are other important issues to be more valuable than the statement that “Pashinyan is guilty of everything.” On November 9, 2020, a tripartite document was signed, the provisions of which are not provided by two of the parties, Russia and Azerbaijan. Armenian oppositionists have created a “comfortable” situation around themselves, saying, “Nikol is to blame,” and “If Nikol were not in power, the situation would be different.” If there is awareness among Armenian oppositionists that Artsakh is on the verge of destruction and Armenia is on the brink of losing statehood, then at least two of the opposition leaders, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, as former colleagues of Vladimir Putin, should have had questions.
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The situation is different in the case of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first President of Armenia; he worked with former Russian President Boris Yeltsin but did not work with Putin. Meanwhile, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, not only as former leaders of the state his former colleagues but also humanly, should not have significant complications in communicating with Putin. Moreover, on one occasion, Robert Kocharyan was even proud of the degree of “chemistry” between Putin and him.
Since June 15, Azerbaijan has wholly closed the checkpoint of the Hakari Bridge after they tried to place the Azerbaijani flag on the territory of the Republic of Armenia in the section from the bridge to Syunik, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers. Not a single kilogram of cargo has entered Artsakh since June 15. It is already a humanitarian disaster. Do the two former presidents of Armenia, Kocharyan, and Sargsyan, initially from Artsakh, have any questions for Putin? Russia formally (de jure) continues to be Armenia’s strategic partner, but Moscow refuses to arm Armenia; moreover, based on the public statements of the Armenian authorities, which Moscow did not deny, Armenia paid Russia to receive weapons, but Moscow does not provide weapons or returns the money.
After November 9, 2020, are Russia’s actions in Artsakh and in protecting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia normal? What is happening with Armenia and Artsakh? Is it completely understandable and acceptable for Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan? Political forces and individuals close to them, yes, should continue to criticize the authorities of Armenia, not letting go of any mistakes and failures of the authorities. However, this working method does not exempt the second and third Presidents of Armenia from answering the main question.
What does this “profound” silence of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan mean…
Do Kocharyan and Sargsyan consider that what is happening to Armenia and Artsakh is highly legal, and do Armenia and Artsakh deserve this situation? This question is rhetorical because if the answer of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan is negative, that is, if they think that what is happening with Artsakh and Armenia is not fair, they should have a public word to say to the leader of Russia.
If not together, then at least Kocharyan and Sargsyan can address Russian President Putin separately, with open letters of one or two pages, reminding in a few lines of the high-level Armenian-Russian relations during their rule, but also publicly raising questions that our society is interested in. And future generations will not raise those questions after 50, 100, or 200 years; they will already record that they destroyed Artsakh and Armenia from inside and outside and will be given names. Among those names, Pashinyan will not be the only one guilty.
Therefore, why do Kocharyan and Sargsyan have no questions for Putin?
Emma GABRIELYAN
“Aravot” daily, 22.06.2023
