The interlocutor of “Aravot” is Mikael Nahapetyan, a member of the Executive Body of the “Citizen’s Decision” Party.
– What is the Armenian government doing to prevent another aggression against Armenia and Artsakh? We see that Nikol Pashinyan is calling the international community to take steps. He said at the last meeting of the government. “The international community, the UN Security Council member states must take serious measures to prevent a new explosion in our region.”
– At the moment, Armenia has a government that has declared the following position: those who think that Armenia should continue on the path of confrontation in the region are going on the way of Armenia’s non-existence. That means that our plan is clear; our formula for living is surrender. That is what the Armenian government says. But any solution at least starts with having the exact opposite mindset. In other words, our way is a struggle; without struggle, there is no victory, there is no security, and without struggle, there is no dignity. In other words, starting from this starting point, the policy pursued by Armenia needs to be corrected.
The second most essential step that Armenia should take is the following: Politics is not about statements that we went to such and such a country; during the discussion of such and such a declaration, we presented facts that Azerbaijan commits an international crime. Politics is not that at all; it is the work of a public organization, and politicians must create political realities that cannot be ignored. One such politician does all that in Azerbaijan. First, he stops employees of the “environmentalist-activist” service in the corridor. You cannot ignore it, make statements, hit or not hit, adapt or not adapt, initiate a criminal case or not, but you cannot ignore it because it is a reality.
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Then, when you picket for about six months at the UN and other international platforms, you say that they are scoundrels, they are sick; he says, OK, I understand, he removes the “environmentalists-activists” and puts a new reality in their place: a checkpoint. Then you protest against the checkpoint for six months; he says: Who said that there is a blockade? There is an alternative through Aghdam. That is the classic mechanism of creating political realities that these people do.
And that’s what politics is; politics is neither declarations nor declaring war on every little occasion on the presumption of a half-mad. Politics is when you always create situations that force others to act or refrain from acting.
Thirdly, Armenia should start creating consequences for those entities that discuss issues related to its interests without it, make decisions, or do not implement the decisions and agreements made. Someone who is very afraid of taking any step can say about my statement: Do you mean that we should declare war on Azerbaijan? But even if we do not discuss this issue, I will give elementary examples. They have already announced several times that we are negotiating with Charles Michel, who is “abandoning” us. Now, does it have any consequences for Charles Michel or not? When Lavrov announced after the meeting that the Armenian side has agreed to provide guarantees for the rights and safety of Azerbaijanis who are willing to return to Armenia, but our Foreign Minister declared that they were lying, I did not even discuss such a question, does it have any consequences for Lavrov? If you have stated surrender as a strategy, spreading statements as the only political tool, refusing to create political realities, and agreeing without you does not even have personal consequences for anyone, then there is nothing to talk to you about. A brilliant politician, Otto von Bismarck, who united the divided and defeated Germany, said: “The whole reason for our wretchedness is that we are too disinterested friends and too harmless an enemy.” It is about Armenia.
– How do you assess the developments taking place around the Akna road? The people of Artsakh blocked the Akna-Stepanakert road, preventing Azerbaijan from implementing its plan. What solution do you see?
– I take seriously the subject, ready to suffer hardships for his rights. In this regard, I take seriously the processes in Artsakh when people express their willingness to suffer deprivations for their rights. It deserves respect and is a serious approach to having a state. Whether they will continue to do it or not, I have no moral right to give them direction.
What they are doing now, I take it seriously, and I will do everything so that their deprivations are few, their rights are many, and that the solutions come soon. Azerbaijan’s goal is simple: they want to integrate Artsakh into Azerbaijan. The Armenian government consistently refuses all opportunities to speak and participate in the Karabakh issue.
If the political course changes in Armenia, this situation can change; if not, Azerbaijan, as a consistent and politically aware state, will at least continue to advance its agenda. Azerbaijan cannot be intimidated by the fact that our military-political leadership makes announcements and pickets in some places, like the activists of non-governmental organizations.
Rosa HOVHANNISYAN
“Aravot” daily, 10.09.2023
