According to Arsen Gasparyan, a founding member of the Council of the Union of Orientalists of Armenia “Ex Oriente,” the 44-day war in Artsakh in 2020 resulted from failed diplomacy. He assured us that our diplomacy had the opportunity to prevent that war. “I was amazed at how they destroyed the OSCE Minsk Group.
For years, from 1992 to November 2020, the OSCE was the main mediating body for the settlement of the Artsakh issue. It was the highest mediating body under which Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan could finally agree and resolve the conflict. As you saw, the destruction of the OSCE Minsk Group took place, which led to negative consequences. That is an example of developments in our diplomacy in recent years and what has not been done.”
According to Arsen Gasparyan, the RA authorities gave up the right of nations to self-determination after November 2020. “There was nothing about the self-determination of nations in the November 9 document. Gradually, the right to self-determination of nations began to be replaced by the freedoms and security of the people of Artsakh in all international documents. It was another mistake of RA diplomacy because how can one refuse that right, which is one of the fundamental rights registered in the UN Charter, in all the fundamental documents of the OSCE, and in the papers that refer to the settlement of the Artsakh conflict in the early 1990s and after the 1994 ceasefire. The right of nations to self-determination does not mean independence at all.
Read also
During closed negotiations, several options could be put forward, including higher self-government within Azerbaijan. That is also self-determination. From self-governance from autonomy to independence, self-governance exists. There is a right of internal self-determination of nations in international law, and there is a right of external self-determination when supported by one state. It is the fundamental principle of all international organizations. It is inexplicable why it was necessary to abandon that principle. In other words, it is another very gross mistake of Armenian diplomacy”.
Arsen Gasparyan answered the question: Who benefited from the dissolution of the Minsk Group? “At that moment, it was beneficial for Russia that the OSCE Minsk Group was dissolved; it was also in the interests of Azerbaijan.
Again, it is unclear why Armenia could not work with France, the USA, and other OSCE members. We have a representative office in Vienna; they receive a salary there. Couldn’t that representation, using all the fundamental documents of the OSCE, solve this issue not only with France but also with the USA and other OSCE members? Because it was the authority of the OSCE.”
According to Arsen Gasparyan, Russia did not consider Armenia’s opinion regarding the OSCE Minsk Group because the Armenian government is not Russia’s ally. “It is a simple truth that everyone should understand. They talk about whether Russia is an ally or not.
The Armenian government is not Russia’s ally, not the Armenian people or Armenia, but the Armenian government. I single out the actors. When the actors are singled out and the government is viewed in one dimension, the state in another, it also has very tragic consequences for the people.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
