Aravot’s interlocutor is political scientist Armen Baghdasaryan.
-Mr. Baghdasaryan, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, gave an interview yesterday; what messages did he send, and what steps do the people of Artsakh expect from the authorities?
– The President of Artsakh said nothing particularly new; he presented the general situation. There was a particular change of emphasis towards the authorities of Armenia; it was a little stricter. The Artsakh president’s words are not as important as the fact that the representative of the A.R.F.-Dashnaktsutyun Bureau was elected the President of the Artsakh National Assembly. Moreover, the person in charge of the Dashnaktsutyun Bureau announced that they received the offer from the current and former last presidents of Artsakh; it was a joint offer. It turns out that Arayik Harutyunyan himself suggested that the opposition deputy become the Speaker of the National Assembly. Moreover, we are talking about the bureau whose representative announced months ago that their goal is to achieve a change of power in Armenia and remove the government of Nikol Pashinyan. I think that this is an essential impulse from the Artsakh authorities, that they, no longer relying on receiving support from the Republic of Armenia, are trying to increase the role of Dashnaktsutyun and the structures of the Diaspora, in general, to exert international pressure on Azerbaijan not through the RA authorities, but through the structures of the Diaspora. That was a tactical change by the Artsakh authorities, the most crucial record in the last one or two days.
– Araik Harutyunyan also said that there are political forces in Armenia that are trying to accuse the authorities of Artsakh in implementing Azerbaijan’s policy. “For us, the goal of both is the same: to destroy the authorities of Artsakh, to destroy the institutions of Artsakh,” he said. What forces does he mean?
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– What is essential is not what he says but what he does. He appointed the representative of Dashnaktsutyun as the President of the Artsakh National Assembly. Moreover, he especially emphasized that it has no formal significance. Still, the National Assembly of Artsakh and the President of the National Assembly will play a key role from now on. In fact, if not wholly, he handed over at least half of the power to the opposition.
– What can this change in Artsakh, taking into account the fact that the question that the National Assembly of Artsakh is not a body that has a severe political voice and does work was discussed a lot?
– It may change that the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue or its absence will no longer directly relate to Armenia-Azerbaijan relations. Those two issues are separated because if a part of the power in Artsakh ends up in the hands of the opposition, then it turns out that the failure of the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, the hardening of the rhetoric, the further steps cannot become a direct threat to Armenia, nor can they be trump cards for Azerbaijan to carry out aggression against Armenia. An attempt is made to separate those two issues.
– And to what extent is that possible in the current situation?
– At least a step has been taken in that direction. And I don’t think that Artsakh had much of a choice because if Armenia as a state is actually pulled aside and, as Arayik Harutyunyan said, Artsakh is left alone against Azerbaijan, then there is nothing left but to use the support of the Diaspora and in particular Dashnaktsutyun, Hay Dat, the abilities of lobbying organizations. They can be effective in terms of increasing the international resonance of the issue.
– Addressing the Armenian authorities, Araik Harutyunyan said: “I call on the leadership of Armenia to avoid actions or statements that may call into question the self-determination of the people of Artsakh.” We see the policy of the Armenian authorities in the matter of Artsakh; will something change?
– I think the authorities of Armenia should not have talked about lowering the bar regarding the future or status of Artsakh from the beginning. If they are considering it within the framework of the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, the question of whether or not to lower the bar should be left to the people and authorities of Artsakh. In this matter, official Stepanakert’s rebuke has grounds because the RA authorities say, on the one hand, that we do not take responsibility for the future of Artsakh. On the other hand, they are lowering the bar without having the right to do so.
Rosa HOVHANNISYAN
