The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Washington this week to discuss normalizing relations between the two countries.
On May 3, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. They discussed “regional security and stability” and the “process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” according to a statement from Armenia’s Foreign Ministry. The foreign ministers previously met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday. Several days of negotiations are scheduled to end on May 4.
The high-level delegations are hammering out a document titled “Agreement on normalization of relations,” according to anonymous US officials cited by Voice of America. The officials also said they are discussing the “rights and security of ethnic minorities.”
“The question of the rights and security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh is central to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” another anonymous spokesperson from the US State Department said in written comments to RFE/RL on May 2.
“Ultimately ensuring that this population can feel secure in their homes and have their rights protected is the only way to guarantee a lasting settlement to a conflict that has lasted too long and cost too many lives,” the spokesperson continued.
The spokesperson said that the scope and nature of the final agreement on normalizing relations will be determined by Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Addressing the Armenian parliament on May 3, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that the Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations are negotiating over a specific document. He said the document does not contain any new information that he has not already shared publicly.
These are the first face-to-face meetings between high-level officials from Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the blockade of Artsakh in December 2022. In a brief statement on Monday, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the “humanitarian situation resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan was touched upon” during the day’s meetings.
“We have not parsed our words about the need for the free flow of traffic and people and commerce through the Lachin corridor,” US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on May 1 while announcing this week’s meetings. “That continues to be the case, and it’s something that we will continue to raise directly with our Armenian counterparts.”
Blinken held phone calls with both Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev prior to this week’s negotiations. During his call with Aliyev, Blinken “expressed the United States’ deep concern that Azerbaijan’s establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor undermines efforts to establish confidence in the peace process, and emphasized the importance of reopening the Lachin corridor to commercial and private vehicles as soon as possible,” according to a readout from the US State Department.
The United States and the European Union have increased their diplomatic engagement in the South Caucasus since the 2020 Artsakh War. During the latest meeting hosted by the EU in Prague on October 6, attended by Pashinyan and Aliyev, Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Pashinyan reiterated his commitment to recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity during his comments to the Armenian parliament on April 18.
“A peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will become real if the two countries clearly, without ambiguities and pitfalls, recognize each other’s territorial integrity and agree on never having territorial disputes in the future,” Pashinyan said.
Russia has been critical of Western diplomacy in the Artsakh conflict, accusing the West of attempting to displace its role as the primary mediator in the conflict. Commenting on the ongoing meetings in Washington, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that there are “no alternatives” to trilateral documents signed together with Russia. He welcomed “any assistance that could help the settlement on this basis.” Yet he also suggested that Western mediation could “dilute the basis for the settlement, which may not work at all in the long run.”
In the past, Russian officials have accused the West of pushing for a settlement that would recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Artsakh. They have suggested that the Russian negotiation track would maintain the status quo in Artsakh. Western officials have denied this claim.
“We remain committed to promoting a peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. We believe that direct dialogue is key to reaching a lasting peace, and we believe that peace is possible between these two countries,” Patel said on May 3rd.
The US-mediated meetings come a week after Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint at the entrance to the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor from Armenia.
Azerbaijani protesters claiming to be environmental activists closed the Berdzor Corridor for over four months starting on December 12, 2022, placing Artsakh under blockade and cutting the region off from imports of food and medicine. The Berdzor Corridor is the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world.
On April 28, following the installation of the military checkpoint five days earlier, the activists announced that they were suspending their protest. In an identical article published across Azerbaijani pro-government media, the protesters announced that the establishment of the checkpoint “caused us a sense of pride and joy.”
“The creation of a border control mechanism is aimed at preventing any provocations by ensuring traffic transparency on the road, the rule of law and road safety,” the protesters said in a joint statement.
The statement continues that the protesters “reserve the right to renew the action” if the Russian peacekeepers do not “stop the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits” in Artsakh.
The installation of a military checkpoint violates the trilateral ceasefire agreement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia ending the 2020 Artsakh War. Under the terms of the agreement, Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the Berdzor Corridor to ensure the connection between Armenia and Artsakh. The agreement states that “Azerbaijan guarantees traffic safety along the Lachin Corridor of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions.”
Artsakh authorities have said that, while protests along the Berdzor Corridor have ended, Artsakh is still under blockade due to the checkpoint.
On April 30, an Azerbaijani public broadcast service shared a video of Armenian vehicles crossing the checkpoint. Azerbaijani border guards are seen searching the vehicles and inspecting travelers’ documents.
“As can be seen from the presented footage, people’s border crossing is organized in a neat and polite manner,” the broadcast service said. “Thus, the claims of the Armenian officials regarding the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the Karabakh Armenians and the ‘blockade’ of the Lachin road are nothing more than another false propaganda.”
Yet Artsakh authorities said that the travelers had been forced to participate in filming the video. They had been assured by Russian peacekeepers that Azerbaijani guards would not intervene in their journey, according to Artsakh officials.
The four Armenian residents of Artsakh had been stuck in Goris, a city in Armenia’s southernmost province Syunik, due to the blockade. They had appealed to the Russian peacekeepers for assistance returning home, who agreed to transport them in private cars without inspection. Yet they were unexpectedly stopped by Azerbaijani officers at the checkpoint.
The group was returning to their homes in Mets Shen, Hin Shen, Lisagor and Yeghtsahogh, villages in the Shushi region of Artsakh. The villages, located along the Berdzor Corridor, were cut off from the rest of Artsakh by the closure of the corridor by Azerbaijani activists. They have been cut off from Armenia by the checkpoint, placing them under a double blockade.
Artsakh State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan said that the humanitarian situation in these villages is deteriorating.
“An attempt was made to supply food and medicine to these communities through the Artsakh office of the Red Cross, but these efforts were unsuccessful,” Nersisyan said.
Lillian Avedian
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lf West will support us against Russia lran Turkey Azerbaijan , We should quit from csto to Join Nato and EU Armenia first christian state in the world and our place is civilzed world not russia nor middle east we belongs to Western Civilzation.Armenians ready to repatriate back to Armenia from opressing fundemantalist islamist arab lran turkic states to our lovely hayrenik Hayastan when the west grant safety and prosperity to Armenia .
Dear Garu, I have to write in support of Garo’s comment: For the West, only interests are important, not Christianity. The famous Western term: “Nothing Personal – It’s Just Business”. Currently, our only real supporters are Russia, Iran and India.
correctin: in support of Harry’s comment.
Dear Garu, I have to write in support of Harry’s comment: For the West, only interests are important, not Christianity. The famous Western term: “Nothing Personal – It’s Just Business”. Currently, our only real supporters are Russia, Iran and India.
Garo, Current government in Armenia under Nicole’s leadership is weak, uninformed and very much taxic we need change of leadership NOW, West don’t care about your Christian heritage we have realized this long ago, time to wake up.
I guess this is what it’s meant by saying cognitive dissonance and political illiteracy.
Russia was never committed to an independent Arktash nor one united with Armenia. Azerbaijan was never in a position even when it was weak to be compelled to recognise Arktash as separate. Armenia only recognised the independence declaration from Azerbaijan but never even as an independent nation let alone as part of Armenia. Russia in this changed world can’t maintain possession of lands in Ukraine it has annexed. Azerbaijan won’t wait beyond 2025 to assert full authority over what’s left possibly even before. Armenia should see to that Russia claims of it will be decided later is akin to someone who always coming and will let you know but never does but always pledges to. As for Christian heritage that doesn’t make Georgia your best friend nor prevent the Russia Ukraine war. This civilizational tie notion is of limited factual accuracy despite its persistent appeal. It’s so sad to see the dream die but it was never realised in the first place even if between 1994 – 2020 it seemed to be…
The West is atheistic at best, satanic at worst.
If I may put my Two cents in; Iran has a History of treating Armenians well! From Shah Abbas to present. Armenians have been able to keep their Schools, Churches & Religious Freedom. If not from Iran Azerbaijan&Turkey will take over Zangezur which is under control of Armenia & Freely Travel to Central Assia. Russia is in bed with Azeries b/c they sell Russian gas&oil. Russia will abandon Armenia& Artsakh for their own interest. They are the reason why Lachin Corridor is steel blocked. They Pressuring Armenia to swop with Zangezur path way.
Iran is a good neighbor to Armenia but it can not replace Russia. Without Russia there would not be any Armenia or Artsakh. Armenia is where it is today because in their
glind pursuit of westernization and democracy Armenians bit the hand that feeds it.
Worthless political exhibitions such as what we saw in Washington last week will only serve to further alienate Armenia’s only two natural allies in the world, Russia and Iran. Yes, our blind pursuit of westernization and democracy has brought Armenia to the edge of abyss. Armenians will never learn from history. Political illiteracy has a high cost.
Armenia is too small not to have good relationship with two of its neighbors. This long running conflict is costing Armenia more than it realizes.
All this “peace” negotiation is bulls—t !! Today there are over 100 prisoners in Baku, over 300 missing from the 2020 war, several dozen sq kilometers of Armenia are occupied by Azeri forces, over 120,000 Armenians are being starved to death by the blockade, all in violation of the tripartite agreement signed on Nov 9th 2020. Turkey/Azerbaijan want Armenia to sign a capitulation and they will continue to make demands until they snuff the life out of Armenia. The problem is fundamentally due to a power imbalance between Armenia and its neighbors. The US indirectly contributed to this power imbalance when it promoted the Baku Ceyhan pipeline, which filled the coffers and ambitions of Baku, and met Turkish and Israeli interests. The US did not care about the consequences for Armenia which are now being played out. At the same time, the Armenian government and Diaspora did not take the responsibilities of state building seriously to counter Azerbaijan. Having an independent Armenia and Artsakh requires strategic planning, expenditure of billions of dollars on the economy and defense, and working closely with an organized Diaspora. Unfortunately the Diaspora, especially in the West is disorganized and unfocussed , more preoccupied with self advancement than community life. Relying on foreign powers like Russia has always been disappointing.
Very well said, Sarkis. We utterly squandered the opportunity to build a viable nation-state. Russia, however, could have been a reliable ally or partner had we not played the game of “complementary politics” with them. So, not only did we fail at nation-building, we also alienated our narural allies, Russia and Iran, with our desire to “westernize”. Regarding the last point, the traditional Diaspora holds a great deal of responsibility. The Diaspora has been acting as a pack-animal for all kinds of Western and Turkish agendas in Armenia for the past 30 years. Nikol’s toxic regime was the crowning achievement of 30 years of corruption, mismanagement and political illiteracy. The only thing to look forward to now is joing the Russian union in sone form. Otherwise, Armenia will cease to exist.
The Baku Ceyhan pipeline that apart from the recent earthquake runs without a hitch, was the death knell for Arktash dream, and gravely affected the balance of power locally. Indeed it’s ironic that the now 3/4 destroyed Nord stream pipelines that the USA made such obstruction to geopolitical dagger into Europe with the sanctions then the distruction of so far without response from Russia. A classic example of how the strong do as they please and the weak suffer as they must. Although it should be borne in mind US support for it wasn’t anti Armenian as such and more mercantile as it offered an access to Baku oil and gas without going via Russia also the Chechen war had interrupted the existing route and it was an opening new routes with the political change at the time. Russia with its tie in stymied the development of the Iran Armenia pipeline which could have ran into Georgia, and been a source of revenue for Armenia strengthened it’s relationship with Iran and put Armenia in a stronger position with Georgia in international interests and rivalry with Azerbaijan, the international issues that Iran has did limit it’s prospects but no doubt Russia had a shameful role. It’s worth noting that the Trump supported Israel, Cyprus, Greece pipeline proposal has quietly been abandoned.
Charles, in other words: Western/American involvement in the south Caucasus has had a very negative impact on Armenia. Thus, the tragic comedy known as “complementary politics”. We made the exact same mistake almost exactly 100 years ago. Armenians never learn from their history. Armenians are therefore the main authors of our many tragedies…
Armenia has an ancient diaspora compared to Georgia and Azerbaijan yet of the trio has since independence been the most narrow-minded in its foreign policy. Don’t put more faith in Russia than it puts into Armenia, Azerbaijan is more useful to it anyway being a neighbour,rich in oil and gas and a landbridge to Iran. Do people ever learn collectively my opinion is not much. Russian relationship with Armenia has been built on the basis that providing Turkey nor Azerbaijan don’t attack Armenia and the issue of Arktash with Azerbaijan and the genocide with Turkey aren’t resolved Russia will have a good position. It’s likely that Armenia will give up Arktash and possibly be bamboozled by Turkey over the genocide as Armenia doesn’t have the strength to force them to account and Russia has it’s own priorities. Quite unlike Germany under US occupation that has been guilt tripping since WW2 to Israel and the Jewish interests although it’s worth noting that in Europe now it’s barely living memory. People in Europe are getting fed up with the issue of what happened in the 1940’s .
As for Russia in Ukraine how they’re doing now is irrelevant it’s how it ends what really matters. Napoleon and Hitler both governed vast areas of Europe and both would see the failure of their endeavours. Support Russia if you want but no reason to be Wehraboo like infatuation either!
But Baku–Supsa Pipeline has been closed since last year. Because of security concerns.
Armenians squandered the opportunity to settle the dispute over Artsakh in the 1990s. Yerevan needed to compromise. Armeniand should have at least pulled back from the 5 of the 7 territories outside of Artsakh. We should have invited a Russian military presence inside Artsakh. We needed to forge closer ties with Russia and Iran. It was not to be. Our arrogance, pride, materialism, tribalism, shortsightedness, cognitive dissonance and political illiteracy came into play. We thought we were invincible. We thought we could be maximalistic. We wasted 30 years on importing western pop culture and NGOs, calling for revolutions in Armenia, and playing games with our closest and only ally, Russia. The accumulated toxicity then burst in 2018. The tragedy that followed, and still continuing today, is our collective fault. Ultimately, Nikol’s toxic regime is a by-product of the materialism, tribalism, shortsightedness, egotism, political illiteracy and cognitive dissonance that is so prevalent in modern Armenian society…
Obviously these are your biased personal opinions that have very little to do with reality. You tell people to study history while you have a completely distorted view of history. First of all, despite all odds, Armenians defeated the enemy in the utmost devastating and humiliating fashion in 1994 and brought them to their knees at which point Russia stepped in and saved Soviet-invented artificial Azerbaijan from total destruction through a ceasefire which gave the enemy an opportunity of a lifetime to get back on its feet to fight another day. Our leaders of the time fell for it and that is when all our problems began. A strong Armenia had become a liability for Russia. Knowing the enemy very well, they should have forced the enemy, with threats of further military action much like what the enemy is doing today, into capitulation and signing of a binding treaty in our favor. If you knew history, like you claim you do, you should know that Artsakh of 1921 was two to three times bigger in area than it was when the Artsakh Liberation Movement began in the late 1980s. Most of those so-called seven districts were integral parts of Artsakh and they had been chipped away by the enemy piece by piece and integrated into Azerbaijan-SSR. Furthermore, winners don’t compromise. They demand it from the enemy. That is the nature of the war. Even if our leaders compromised that should have come at a massive cost to the enemy. For example, the permanent liberation of Artsakh from enemy and its unification with Armenia as well as maintaining all the regions around Artsakh critical for the security of Armenia.
How would inviting or allowing Russian military presence in Artsakh have helped when we found out, after the joint Turkish-Azerbaijani invasion in 2020, that Russian leadership was double-dealing when Russian president Putin openly claimed Artsakh within Azerbaijani jurisdiction? Of course, personally I believe he did not say that to be pro-Azerbaijani but because he still had the vision of restoring Russia’s past and in that Artsakh had to stay within Azerbaijan as it had during their now-defunct and disintegrated former Soviet empire. Putin’s statement was purely pro-Russian and nothing more because for Russia only the interests of Russia matter and no one else’s and history has shown they are willing to sacrifice both friends and foes in that process.
The only closer ties you could forge with the mullahs in Iran were what you already had and nothing more unless their own territorial integrity was threatened like they perceive it is today. You need to understand that the problem the Islamic republic of Iran has with our enemy is with the leadership of that artificial state only and considers that part of the region its own that was taken away from it. You don’t seem to understand what Muslim countries are all about. How many Muslim countries can you name that have officially acknowledged the Armenian Genocide committed by a fellow Muslim Turkish terrorist state and in this case one of Iran’s enemies in the region? None! In those countries loyalty to the religion is paramount and they will never go against their fellow Muslims unless their national security is threatened. The reason why Iran is flexing its muscles in their northern border today, and never before in thirty years, is because they feel under threat and it is not because they care about Armenia or are defending Armenia. It is in fact Armenia that is physically keeping their two enemies, which they happen to be our enemies as well, apart and from uniting to become a major threat to Iran’s security and territorial integrity.
No one called for revolutions in Armenia until Serj Sargsyan decided to change the Armenian constitution In order to remain in power after serving two full terms as president. That is when things began to take a turn for the worse in the country and put things in motion. He should have walked away at the end of his terms and rally for one of his party members to replace him which in hindsight could have and would have averted all that followed after his ouster by a western puppet. In many ways, that is what treasonous Pashinyan is doing today after all his failures. Instead of walking away and letting the nation heal and unite against the enemy around a common cause he is instead diving the country and acting arrogantly and irresponsibly taking the country deeper into disaster. Our leaders have not learned that they are elected to serve the country and the people and not the other way around.
I think that’s an illusion. Armenians left the 7 territories outside of Artsakh proper.
But it’s plain to see even that didn’t settle anything, did it?
At Concerned,
I’m really getting tired of your big mouth about, Armenians this and Armenians that. The truth of the matter is that, the Russians (White Turks) are playing two timing, back stabbing, cheating, lying,cunning games behind our back, this is not how a true Ally would treat his important partner at arms like the way they’re. Then again they need to transfer their crude oil through Azeri pipelines into the EU market, to fend off sanctions imposed on them by the WEST.Putin, as a former KGB Intelligence officer, should have took out, Captain Chaos Pashinyan, long ago when he had the chance, instead, he was the first person to congratulate him after the latter’s victory in the rigged election. It was, Captain Chaos, who screamed top of his lungs at a crowded Republic Square in 2018,” Either I am the next PM, or Armenia WILL NOT HAVE PM”. Despite of that power grab by Pashinyan, Putin went ahead and congratulated him as PM of Armenia. Unrelated, what went wrong with Putin and his LITERATE advisers such as ,FM Sergei Lavrov, that half-Armenian and that ‘Turk’ General Shoigu? So far, the Russians lost over 230,000 soldiers and significant amount of military hardware and their ammos running low. Well, how is it possible that the Kremlin miscalculated the possibility of the NATO’S involvement in Ukraine’s war? Please, do tell us what wentt wrong. So far the Russians are getting their buttocks kicked royally. What seems to be the problem? Oh, my mistake, there are plenty of ‘literate’ advisers in Russia’s Kremlin, that’s the problem.
@ Jay
Regarding Concerned with his infatuation with Russia and self loathing of Armenia. Perhaps he just has to be let to rant and rave as he seems oblivious to reason. Admiration is one thing infatuation is another. Constructive criticism is useful self loathing is not. He certainly needs reminding about the current predicament Russia has gotten into clearly some political illiteracy not to have assessed how much the west would support Ukraine and that Ukrainians would largely oppose Russia not welcome them. Military illiteracy to attack another country that is massively assisted by other countries whose territories are out of bounds to Russian military action. In it’s grim way it puts paid to myth by anti Pashinyan factions and Pro Russian that Armenia was allowed to fail to teach them a lesson about loyalty. The hard truth was in the years since 1994 Azerbaijan had stolen a march. The same weapons TB2 for example that troubled the Armenians in 2020 would trouble Russia a little over a year later. Whatever happens Armenia will have a more realistic view of Russia from now on just like the Serbs learnt to have in the 1990s
@ Ararat Winners do sometimes make compromises with enemies actually. Not out of weakness but considerations for the future actually. In 1972 India returned most of the land in Pakistan it captured the previous year as part of a peace settlement. Their relationship is still bitter but it was on India’s terms. Likewise Israel withdrew from Sinai, Gaza, southern Lebanon and allows a limited autonomy in parts of the west bank again on its terms. Needless to say the relationship is bitter but once again on Israel s terms. It’s sad for Armenia who had done so well in 1994 to squander and loose it all like this. It’s not to preposterous to assume that if Baku was facing direct attack that Turkey would have intervened in 1993 they were poised to but were warned off by Russia and the USA. Predominantly Muslim Syria and Lebanon recognise the Armenian genocide on a state level. Armenia was supported by Iran and Jordan in the first war. The the notion that Muslims loyalty to eachother being primary to everything else is actually a fantasy of their own and abetted by the west when it suits them, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Syria. Muslims have fought each other on countless occasions just like Christians. The error was to prevaricate over the years in negotiations whilst Azerbaijan grew ever stronger and as the years rolled by the impetus was lost the losses in 2016 weren’t taken seriously enough and the catastrophe in 2020 followed. Yes Russia under Putin suffers from his mad cult of WW2 and desire to revive the Soviet Union / Russian Empire so hence Arktash was to be Azerbaijan in their opinion as that’s how it was in good old days of the Soviet Union when in the socialist utopia race religion culture meant nothing and we all like eachother here. Of course this is nonsense and the Armenians were certainly not the only victims of arbitrary Soviet policies either. Whilst Armenia missed a trick in not making an offer in 1994 on the pain of resumed attack later on not claiming sovereignty over N-K which made it impossible to gain international support although Azerbaijan has failed to get Armenia accused of occupation in the UN at least it hasn’t made a fool of itself like Russia bizarre and farcical annexations in Ukraine over areas it hasn’t gained control of and been losing control of what it’s claimed to have annexed! Also there is the issues of the protocols of territorial integrity which are strongly upheld and like powerful events such as WW1 and WW2 it might take a proverbial WW3 to break the status quo?
@Charles
I knew about Lebanon and Syria but I did not mention them in their acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide because according to the Lebanese laws the president and the commander-in-chief has to be a Maronite Christian so I don’t consider Lebanon a Muslim state even though the Christians today comprise only a third of the population.
I did not mention Syria because it took Syria 105 years after the Armenian Genocide to recognize it as such and that primarily due to the Turkish active participation in attempting to topple the Assad regime over the last decade since 2011 Syrian revolt WHILE the Syrian desert of Der-Zor was where thousands of Armenians were deported, murdered or died of starvation. In other words, just like that morally-bankrupt and hypocritical Israel, Syria should have been one of the first countries to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and not over a century later and as a slap on the face of Turkish government under Turkish terrorist-in-chief Er-dog-an who played a major role in the recent Syrian crisis.
Winners should not make compromises and if they do, as I mentioned, it should be at a massive cost to the enemy. To the victor go the spoils as the old saying goes. In other words, compromises made to the enemy should never be perceived as concessions because that plays into the hands of the enemy and shows weakness. Any compromise made must only be at a high cost to the enemy and that requires a true leader. In our case, if we had a real leader and given the fact that he was quite familiar with the nature of our enemy, he should have known they would never have agreed to anything unless they had to and that their willingness to stop the war was because they were at a disadvantage. It was a way for them to buy time to save themselves and regroup. This type of enemy you crush and destroy.
Yes it is true that Muslim states fight against each other and amongst one another because of many reasons such as their self-interests and the alliances they make but that has nothing to do with the point I was making. It is not a coincident that of all the Muslim states in the world, including our southern neighbor quite familiar with our history, that only one Muslim state (Syria) has recognized the Armenian Genocide and that after 105 years and only after the Turkish-instigated Syrian revolt.
Am I talking to human beings here or cyber activists or bots?
There were revolution attempts against Kocharyan and Sargsyan in 2008 2012, 2015 and 2016. From 2008 to 2018, the entire Armenian world was calling for the ouster of Armenia’s “Russian backed corrupt oligarchs”. You were finally given the revolution you so desperately desired, but then found that revolutions, especially Western financed ones, eat their children.
Armenians were losing the first war very badly until early 1992. That’s when the Soviet Union had just collapsed and Azerbaijan had just elected an anti-Russian activist Abulfaz Elchibey (the Azeri version of Nikol). Beginning in 1992, Russia began activly supporting Armenians militarily. Billions of dollars worth of weapons were poured into Armenia and Artsakh, much to Baku’s chagrine. The liberations of Khojalu and Shushi came in early 1992, when Moscow began supporting Armenians. The victories in 1993 were made possible not be peasant militias but by Russian arms and military advisors.
Also, I find it a bit troubling that I have to explain to individuals rhat Yerevan needed to compromise as an ally of Russia and from a position of strength, not after Armenians elected a Western financed scoundrel and Armenia lost the second Artsakh war in 2020 in a humiliating way.
After 30 years of a Western financed and Armenian led effort to break Armenia away from Russia, Moscow finally relented and allowed Armenians the proverbial rope. Said otherwise, because Armenians were desperately seeking to live a Western lifestyle and Armenia had become saturated with Western agents and activists, Moscow began collaborating with Baku and Ankara at Armenia’s expense. Just like how Moscow punished Baku in 1992, Tbilisi in 2008 and Kiev beginning in 2014, Moscow punished Armenia in 2020 by pulling its protective hand away just slightly. If Moscow pulls its hand fully away today, Armenia will disappear from the world map tomorrow.
Long story short, Armenia/Artsakh is where it is today because of the political illiteracy, cognitive dissonance and the Western fetish Armenians suffer from.
Why would that have been any different? It is plain to see those 7 surrounding regions (raions) were not the main issue at all. A soldier died today in Sotq area, even after the Brussels declaration.
PS: I guess people do indeed believe in silly fairytales spewed by propaganda outlets posing as news organizations (from CNN to BBC, and everything in between). Russia is gradually decimating Ukraine’s Western-back forces, and it is doing so with only a fraction of its military potential. In a year or so Ukraine as we know it won’t exist. Ukraine is yet another victim of Westernization and the Neoliberal world order…
Regarding genocidal recognition
Uruguay was the first nation to recognise the killings as a genocide. Indeed the word genocide was only coined in 1943 by a Polish Jew about the Armenian massacres and gained a legal recognition in the United Nations shortly after WW2. As for lack of recognition by Muslim countries whilst say Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran where directly aware of the killings there is a we have our own lives to live mentality. Also brutally put whilst regarding Turkey as a rival and former overlord, there wasn’t much point for them in antagonising Turkey over its killings of Armenian citizens on the basis of race and religion by the defunct ottoman empire. So whilst there was and is probably some Muslim solidarity in reluctance to criticise Turkey, it simply wasn’t a priority matter “liberation of Palestine” was a far more relevant sentiment even if basically a matter of popular public rhetoric. Circumstances the defeat of the ottoman empire wasn’t of the level that Nazi Germany was and thus despite initial contrition by Turkey even hanging some official s for their role in the killings, the new Republics conquest of Wilson Armenia with Soviet support and subsequent secularism and redupitating of the ottoman empire combined with a policy of denial which continues to this day. The USA only recognised the killings as a genocide partially because Turkey has been a wayward NATO member indeed it’s joining of the US led British inspired anti Russian military alliance meant for decades there was similar reasons that many Muslim countries i cited for the USA not recognising it as a genocide until 2021. Also for the USA it was a way of stating to Turkey that it wasn’t beholden to their positions and to reduce Russian grip on Armenia by showing that it also emphasized with their position formally. Thus why or why not recognising the killings as a genocide is a matter of politics. Say the Soviet collectivisation, food exports for hard currency and technology induced famine in addition to a natural drought cycle primarily in the Ukraine in the 1930s and being recognised as a genocide recently by many countries is once again politics.
I should state that whilst Armenia won in 1994 it was not an utter defeat for Baku as it was still in control of most of Azerbaijan and even parts of N-K thus whilst clearly loosing it was more like imperial Germany in 1918 than Nazi Germany in 1945 . Also as stated the protocols of territorial integrity implementated by the powers to be in the UN in 1945 ( to enshrine and sanctify their power structure) and the pledge in 1990 by all members of the Soviet Union that the internal Soviet SSR boundaries would have accepted as international ones in the event of their independence (regardless of their practical relevance on the ground) meant for a small nation and globally weak one Armenia hands were tied in not being more dynamic after 1994. Nevertheless there was a policy of prevacation in the talks with Azerbaijan 1994 -2020 and the victory of 1994 gradually become self congratulatory and deceiving. Along with a misplaced faith in Russia. @ Concerned statements about Russia withdrawing it’s protective hand from Armenia over Pashinyan need to be exposed in Russia’s debacle in Ukraine as nonsense where after initial successes it has fallen back and taken collosal losses of men and equipment. The truth was Azerbaijan had stolen a march enabled by the oil and gas pipelines that perhaps in a any future conflict Armenia could show more dynamic attitudes towards. Armenia must have had access to open source information and spies to give them a proper assessment of Azeri military status. There are those who are anti Pashinyan and pro Russia who like to believe in the myth of his distancing of Russia condemned Armenia in 2020 and those who are anti Pashinyan and not enthusiastic about Russia who believe that the military balance was like 1994 still, only for him to run it down so rapidly upon taking office in 2018 so that Azerbaijan could reverse it’s losses in 2020. Neither are true Pashinyan although might be a patsy for western interests indeed. Although there were significant internal governance and economic issues. Russia wanted Azerbaijan to regain N-K to curry favour and try to reduce Turkish influence on that basis but left Armenia betrayed and didn’t impress Azerbaijan much either. Russia has taken Armenia for granted confident assumptions about the issues with Turkey and Azerbaijan remaining irritractable. Armenia had equally taken Russia for granted assuming it was always going to protect them.
@ Concerned Armenian – would you be willing to share where you are getting your info on the Russia/Ukraine war effort? Or even your top trusted news source? I genuinely make an effort to try to follow / research both (more?) sides.
Also, I appreciate that you continuously maintain your civility, even after people insult you.
Not too many in the English language but Southfront, New Atlas (Brian Berletic) and the Duran are excellent. Listen to Colonel Douglas Macgregor’s and former UN arms inspector Scott Ritter’s military analysis on various social media platforms. Both men are extremely knowledgeable and rational. History Legands on Youtube is not bad either.
Concerned Armenian does follow a constant theme of Armenia is quite unable to manage its own affairs and needs Russia who knows best and loves Armenia more than itself theme. Yet is well mannered and doesn’t get too angered unlike other posters when taken to task. Whilst the 1994 victory was a brilliant feat which sadly over time became self congratulatory and deceiving. It’s fair to remember early on Azerbaijan seemed to have the advantage and was capable of checking Armenia then and as the saying goes couldn’t have done it without help namely Russian support. As for allies once upon a time Bulgaria was Armenia’s best friend but that carries little weight today. Bit like France and Poland and the UK (England) and Portugal nowadays the France gets on better with Portugal than the UK does who in turn gets on better with Poland than France does currently
Thanks @Concerned Armenian. I haven’t had a chance to check any of it out yet, but plan to this weekend.
Thanks concerned Armenian. I watch Southfront, Macgregor and Ritter all the time. Didn’t know the others. I stopped watching Western MSN a long time ago.