The speech of Armen Gevorgyan, a Member of the National Assembly of Armenia and a deputy of the “Armenia” faction, published on the official website of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
Dear colleagues,
Armenia is entering a difficult electoral political period. The political space is being deliberately narrowed to manipulative alternatives like “peace or war,” “Russia or the West,” and others. These frames are false.
There is no “party of war” in Armenia. Civil and political forces that are being labeled as such simply because they raise uncomfortable questions about the fate of Armenian prisoners held in Baku, the protection of cultural and religious heritage in Artsakh, the rights of displaced persons, and the occupation of Armenia’s sovereign territories. To ask, “Where are the real and international guarantees for the implementation of the Washington agreements?” is not an attack on peace. Countering Ilham Aliyev’s aggressive rhetoric, which refers to Armenia’s sovereign territories as “Western Azerbaijan” is certainly not a desire for war.
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I sincerely hope that all these problems and challenges in this organization are perceived only in the context of human rights and the rule of law, and not of internal political speculations.
Dear colleagues,
The narrative of “peace or war” is also being actively exploited in relation to the war in Ukraine. For many Armenians, any war is unacceptable. In reality, Armenia does not influence the outcome of Ukrainian war. But Armenia does determine whether its fire spreads to our own home. Armenians are ready today to call on the parties to the same “difficult but necessary compromises” that were demanded from Armenia during and after the 44-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh.
It is challenging today to position at a time when the differences between U.S. and European approaches to the war in Ukraine are becoming increasingly evident. And now, without any sarcasm, I can suppose that the situation surrounding Greenland could lead to another forced choice for Armenia: “USA or Europe,” and for Europe: “USA or East.”
Dear Colleagues,
For Armenia, it is vital to have Iran as a stable and territorially intact neighbor — not another Libya or Syria on our immediate borders. Any other approach creates serious risks to territorial integrity and internal stability for all neighboring countries and could become a trigger for a new regional war. That is why, here as well, we stand for peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
The Armenian people have paid too high a price for “peace” used as a tool for advancing interests. States like Armenia cannot exist within imposed choices. They must be given the space for balance and pragmatic decisions. It is also crucial that the Council of Europe expects from Armenia solidarity around values, not around interests.
Thank you.