The ruling party and the circles serving its propaganda agenda have come up with a new “argument” to justify meeting Azerbaijan’s demand for constitutional amendments. The logic behind this “argument” is as follows: Azerbaijan wants the peace treaty not to be signed, but wants Armenia to be blamed for that. Consequently, when people in Armenia speak out against constitutional amendments, they are supposedly playing into Azerbaijan’s hands. It is thus clear that the ruling party is resorting to its familiar, tried-and-tested method of deliberately distorting concepts. In effect, an attempt is being made to turn the situation on its head and accuse the opposition of serving Azerbaijan’s interests.
What is the practical outcome of this “argument” put forward by the authorities? It effectively allows the government to deploy an Azerbaijani pincer. Already under the influence of Azerbaijan’s narratives and diktat, the authorities are now attempting to extend that influence to the opposition and to those who oppose the constitutional amendments as well. The result, in effect, would be a situation in which all of Armenia is enveloped and constrained by Azerbaijan’s diktat. Thus, it is not the opposition and the other opponents of this process who are legitimising Azerbaijan’s calculations; rather, it is Armenia’s ruling party and the circles serving it that are doubling down on Azerbaijan’s leverage over Armenia.
But could Azerbaijan genuinely not want the peace treaty to be signed? Absolutely. However, if Armenia’s own authorities admit that Baku has no desire to sign it and is looking for a pretext, that is tantamount to admitting that the peace being brandished by Yerevan at every opportunity, appropriate or otherwise, is nothing but a “bubble”. In that case, changing the legal and political foundations of Armenia’s independent statehood to meet Azerbaijan’s demand means continuing to inflate that “bubble” at Armenia’s expense, effectively turning the Republic of Armenia itself into a politically empty space filled with nothing but air.
Hakob BADALYAN
