The interlocutor of “Aravot” is Mekhak Gabrielyan, a deputy of the Supreme Council.
– Mr. Gabrielyan, why the Armenian people could not preserve Artsakh?
– Because, most importantly, we chose the wrong strategic friend. Russia was able to keep Armenia in its orbit, in the true sense of the word, by creating a vast agency network in Armenia at all levels of government, including ministers, through which it managed and manages Armenia to this day, only for its interests, as a servant of its claims. In other words, Armenia remains Russia’s satellite in the most negative sense. Armenia could not and still cannot take even a small step to protect its interests. And secondly, we all know what godless life most of our people live. Our troubles started in 1991, when Artsakh, which was joined to the motherland, was declared an independent state by the authorities of that time.
Now, when you look at this phenomenon from today’s distance, you conclude that Russia dictated this trap; by appointing his agents at the head of the government, dictating and implementing a demand arising from his interests, he had set such a trap from which it was not possible to get out. In the first war, 1991-1994, God gave us victory and returned Artsakh to us, but we did not try to appreciate it and quickly appropriate it to make it an inseparable part of the motherland, just like our other regions.
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We could not legally recognize the virtually reunited Artsakh as a part of Armenia, the only reason for which was us, or rather, the ignorant people who govern Armenia and Artsakh, who used Artsakh to rob Armenia’s budget and fill their own pockets. Instead of developing and making the victory permanent, we signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994 at the behest of the Russians and essentially laid the groundwork for handing over the liberated Artsakh, not realizing that history is cruel to those who do not take the right direction and do not take ownership of their success, God does not support them. So we got what we sowed for about thirty years.
– The President of Artsakh signed a decree to dissolve the Republic of Artsakh from January 1, 2024. According to your assessment, we lost Artsakh again, which resulted from incorrect orientation, not betrayal, as many think.
– We lost Artsakh temporarily again due to incorrect orientation and incorrect assessment of the given historical period. Artsakh was once again occupied by the brutal Russian-Turkish force. This time, the occupation will be short-lived if the power goes to the nationalist forces. People need to wake up. Armenia should have created a new security system, which has not been done so far.
After the defeat of November 2020, to remain in the same security system was at least insanity, if not enmity, against one’s state and nation. Many experts reasoned and proposed that Armenia should leave CSTO and revise all agreements with Russia. However, the government did not listen and still does not listen. Now, the time has come to take drastic steps to leave the CSTO, EAEU, and CIS, break all agreements signed with Russia, expel Russian troops from Armenia, and sign partnership agreements with the USA and France.
They have found out their hands; it is necessary to hold firmly, through them to ensure the security and sovereignty of Armenia and, in an accelerated way, with their help, to rebuild and re-equip the army, to move to the idea of a people’s army, to purge foreign agents from the state system, to eradicate the 5th column and corruption.
– About 150,000 of our compatriots took the path of migration today. How do we deal with them? Especially now in Armenia, there is a lot of accumulated negative energy, intolerance, and hatred towards each other, and coexistence is tending to zero.
– Our compatriots, those forcibly displaced from Artsakh, should be received with all affection and care, accommodated, and, if possible, provided with work. First, the government should place teachers, doctors, and those in the state service in Artsakh in appropriate institutions, provide them with jobs, and maintain their salaries. For example, to allocate teachers hours regardless of the number of hours, paying them at a total rate, and reducing the hours of teachers in a given school without reducing their salary.
Take this approach in other areas until the settlement of the Artsakh issue and their return to Artsakh. The state should do everything so that some “nimbler,” taking advantage of people’s misfortune and the most challenging problems facing the state, cannot steal by putting “high” prices on apartments, houses, and other goods. No matter how much the Russian-Turkish twin tries to hinder, the international actors will find a solution for Artsakh so as not to be complicit in this genocide.
Shortly, international peacekeeping forces will be deployed in Artsakh, whose presence will ensure the security of Artsakh and the return of Artsakh Armenians to their homes. Artsakh will receive a special status under the supervision of international forces. The international forces will ensure unhindered traffic through the Berdzor Corridor and connection with the motherland until the international court, based on the relevant documents with legal power, shows that Artsakh is part of Armenia, a fair and final solution to the problem.
No matter how much our government delayed filing a lawsuit against Ilham as a war criminal in the international court, it will happen one day. Azerbaijan will be punished, and Ilham still has no idea what kind of punishment he will receive with Putin for committing genocide. Not only will Putin answer for the war crimes committed in Ukraine, but he will also sit on the same bench as Ilham and testify against each other for the genocide in Artsakh. Nikol Pashinyan will also sit in that chair as a participant in implementing the Artsakh Armenian Genocide.
Interview by Nelly GRIGORYAN
“Aravot” daily, 29.09.2023
