The United States has praised Azerbaijan’s offer of “amnesty” to Artsakh—made under the threat of a military operation against the region’s Armenian population.
“We recently expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Pashinyan’s commitment to peace, and we welcome President Aliyev’s recent remarks on consideration of amnesty,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement on May 30.
During a speech on May 28, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said that if the Armenian authorities of Artsakh agree to “surrender,” Azerbaijan would be ready to “talk of an amnesty.” Aliyev demanded that Artsakh dissolve its local government and accept Azerbaijani citizenship, suggesting that he could force the region to disband its leadership by force.
“The book of ‘Miatsum’ is closed. The book of separatism is closed. The dream of independence follows the path of status. As for the status, we sent it to where it belongs during the second Karabakh war,” Aliyev said. ‘Miatsum,’ or ‘unification,’ refers to the Artsakh independence movement’s call for unification with Armenia.
“Therefore, there is only one option left—to obey the laws of Azerbaijan, be a loyal and normal citizen of Azerbaijan, throw the false state attributes in the trash, and dissolve the ‘parliament’—as if there is a ‘parliament’ there, as if there is a president, as if there is a minister. All this is funny. We are simply being patient. However, everyone knows perfectly well that we have all the opportunities to carry out any operation in that region today. Therefore, the ‘parliament’ should be dissolved, the element calling himself ‘president’ should surrender, all ‘ministers,’ ‘deputies’ and others should give up their positions. Only in that case can a concession be made to them. Only in that case can we talk of an amnesty,” Aliyev continued.
Western leaders have been encouraging Azerbaijan to engage in direct talks with Artsakh leadership to safeguard the rights and security of its population. Aliyev’s bellicose speech came just two weeks after the Azerbaijani President and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Brussels to negotiate a peace treaty. During the meeting, European Council president Charles Michel “encouraged Azerbaijan to engage in developing a positive agenda with the aim of guaranteeing the rights and security” of the Armenians living in Artsakh. Michel also “raised the need for a transparent and constructive dialogue between Baku and this population.”
After the meeting, Pashinyan said for the first time that he is ready to recognize Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan. While his announcement was welcomed by the West as a positive step in negotiations, it sparked outrage across Armenia, the Diaspora and Artsakh, whose authorities defended the “right of self-determination of our people.” Pashinyan has also called for an international mechanism to mediate direct talks between Azerbaijan and Artsakh. Azerbaijan has repeatedly dismissed this idea, claiming that talks with Artsakh are an internal matter.
The authorities of Armenia and Artsakh condemned Aliyev’s speech. Lusine Avanesyan, spokesperson for the Artsakh President, denounced Aliyev’s “illegal demands to the elected authorities of the people of Artsakh.”
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry criticized the “inaction of the international community, including the international mediators involved in the settlement process,” to reverse Azerbaijan’s “policy of threats and violence.”
“Ignoring the true intentions and violations of the international obligations of Azerbaijan, as well as attempts by international mediators to seek constructiveness in Azerbaijan’s openly genocidal agenda, are self-deception and are tantamount to approving Baku’s criminal actions,” the Artsakh Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry specifically criticized the Russian authorities, whose peacekeeping forces have been stationed in Artsakh since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, for failing to respond to Azerbaijan’s threats of a military operation.
In response to Aliyev’s speech, Michel called on the leaders to “refrain from maximalist positions and aim for dialogue.” “Dialogue between Baku and Armenians living in former NKAO on their rights & security is now crucial,” Michel tweeted on May 30.
Aliyev also threatened military action against Armenia during his May 28 speech, which was delivered in occupied Berdzor (Lachin). Armenia ceded Berdzor to Azerbaijan after the 2020 Artsakh War. Aliyev said that a peace treaty should be based on Azerbaijan’s conditions, including the opening of “our road to Nakhichevan.”
“I am saying these conditions here in the city of Lachin so that everyone can see that we are here today and we will be here forever. Let them know that we can see Armenian villages from here. We can see those villages, so they shouldn’t forget about that,” Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan has demanded the establishment of the “Zangezur corridor,” an extraterritorial corridor connecting Azerbaijan and its exclave Nakhichevan through Syunik, Armenia’s southernmost province. Armenia has insisted that the route must respect the sovereignty of Armenia’s borders.
During a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow on May 25, Pashinyan and Aliyev entered an argument about the “Zangezur corridor.” The leaders of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan met at the Kremlin. After Aliyev mentioned the corridor during his speech to the group of leaders, Pashinyan interrupted Russian President Vladimir Putin to interject that the term corridor “has been used in recent years as a title for making territorial claims against Armenia.”
During the heated exchange that ensued, Aliyev denied any territorial claims. “You have to try very hard or have a wild imagination to see territorial claims,” Aliyev replied.
Pashinyan criticized Aliyev’s equating the “Zangezur Corridor” with the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor. The Berdzor Corridor is the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia. Under the ceasefire agreement ending the 2020 Artsakh War, Azerbaijan agreed to guarantee traffic safety along the corridor. The corridor has been closed by Azerbaijan since December 2022, placing Artsakh under blockade and restricting the region’s access to food, medicine and other basic necessities. One of Azerbaijan’s demands to end the blockade has been the establishment of the “Zangezur Corridor.”
“You said ‘Lachin road,’ but according to our trilateral declaration, ‘Lachin road’ does not exist. There is a corridor which, according to the trilateral declaration signed by three of us, should be under the control of Russian peacekeeping forces; that is, no one else should exercise any control of this corridor. And what is happening there is a direct violation of the trilateral declaration. And you said that the corridor is open, but we don’t see it,” Pashinyan said, before Putin interrupted him to end the debate.
No agreements were reached following a trilateral meeting between Pashinyan, Aliyev and Putin in Moscow on May 25. Aliyev and Pashinyan will meet in Moldova’s capital Chisinau on June 1, along with Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Lillian Avedian
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And Armenians have no one but themselves to blame.
Um, there’s a despot named Aliyev who kind of has an ethnic cleansing genocide project against Azerbaijan’s Armenian neighbors; but, you put all of the blame upon Armenians for being victims. I suppose you’d also blame the families of serial killer victims too.
Correct, Once again Armenians especially in the USA need get the nerve and stop pussyfooting. Armenian organizations need to come together gather their followers and go to NYC where all the media stations are demanding Armenians be heard AND reported on. If we were Jews or Black the media would report about Artsakh without question.
Agree 100%. His entire life, Nikol dreamed of abandoning Artsakh, forgetting about the Armenian Genocide, unconditionally opening Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey and, last but not least, bring Armenia out of Russia’s orbit his entire life. Nikol’s character naturally did not escape the attention of foreign intelligence services. Western and Turkish interests placed Nikol into power in 2018 exactly for this purpose. To it’s utter disgrace, the Armenian world, both native and diasporan, preferred to keep Nikol in power not once but twice. That’s when Russia, Armenia’s only natural ally, pulled its protective hand away just so slightly. The rest is history as they say. All in all, the last 5 years in Armenia was the toxic by-product of western-style democracy and the self-destructive efforts of Armenians to use the West as a hedge against Russia. In a nutshell, that’s how the country ended up where it is today. Consequently, Armenians have no right to complain today, as they were the main authors of the country’s latest tragedy…
You know man: Russia could stop Azerbaijan’s genocide projects, as well as the “illegal” blockade and siege that has starved 120,000 Armenian men, women, and children, for some 6 months. Russian “Peacekeepers” are doing nothing to clear the Lachin logistical roadway.
But hey, keep blaming Armenians, and giving Azerbaijan & Turkey the green light to do its ethnic cleansing projects; otherwise, Russia would at least verbally hold Azerbaijan accountable.
@Laurence Kueffer
The US could stop Azerbaijan too if it wanted. At least the Russian military is on the ground physically protecting Artsakh citizens from certain death.
If the Russians leave, kiss Artsakh goodbye. And if they leave it’ll be because they’ll have no legal right to be there. After all, the Armenian people have spoken through their twice elected prime minister that Artsakh belongs to Azerbaijan. So yeah, armenians are to blame 100%.
“that’s when Russia, Armenia’s only natural ally” etc etc. Are you serious? Russia is playing games here, everybody can see this, they want the oil etc etc and they want to please azerbaijan so where is the support. Sadly, the US, Brits and the rest of the world does not care one bit and hence we are in this position. Armenians have the right to complain but unfortunately it falls on deaf ears. Instead of being critical of our position try and think about the projected rolls of these political and bureaucrats who have created this instability. Always remember this situation was created by that mad man Stalin so do not forget his intentions and his purpose for creating this massive issue. Armenia has been around for thousands of years and these lands have always been ours it never belonged to the azeries/turks. I wonder what would have eventuated if we had the oil/gas/massive amounts of raw products.
@Robert
You’re claiming that Russians are playing games because they want Azerbaijan’s oil? Are you aware that Russia is one of the largest oil producers in the world, nearly equal to Saudi? Russia also has the largest reseves of gas in the world. Azeri oil is dwindling to drips in comparison. BTW Russian oil sales have hit record levels on the international market this year.
People please educate yourselves before commenting on these blogs otherwise it make you sound emotionally driven and nonsensical. Other nationalities are also reading these comments and it’s embarrassing.
Lawrence, I would ask what your qualifications are. Are you an IR PhD? I wonder. Things in reality don’t work the way they do in your mind. In reality, if you want to actually understand how this works. Armenia was always in Russian orbit, we can go back into history and talk about Iranians and Ottomans, but go forward. Until 2018 Armenia was in Russia’s orbit. Russia’s strategy for dealing with US interference is called strategic patience. Let the people see who their new dear leader is, they will reject him themselves. And it happened just like that. Russia used the situation to put pressure on the US regime of Nikol. That is when the tyrant clearly showed himself to be a tyrant and that he would never give back power willingly. The fact of the matter is that Armenia isn’t important enough to anyone to many any more fuss than what you see. The fate of the country, if it’s going to swallowed by Ottomans is on the Armenian people. After being hypnotized by NED media for the past years, lets see if they believe their own lying eyes or the nonsense they’re being fed on social media.
The UN supposedly believes in “self-determination”, and yet here is a functioning democracy that will be given over to a dictatorship with no substantive complaints from the decadent hypocrites of the West.
In regards to Azerbaijan’s genocidal ethnic cleansing projects their Armenian neighbors, the UN is a disgrace, and literally sold out like a Judas.
Azerbaijan, with the implicit support of Turkey, is essentially squeezing Armenia and Artsakh into a corner where their only choices are to surrender to the brutal dictator Aliyev bent on genocide, or to fight back. A very real consequence of this is IMO the igniting of a regional war from Turkey to Iran and then south into the entire Middle East that will make the Ukraine war look like a picnic.
We know Aliyev. He is predictable. Armenia relinquishes it’s
responsibility to Artsakh and Aliyev only sees green lights.
This is what happens when you make unilateral concessions and expect reciprocation from a barbarian. God help us.
Hi Stepan, In relation to all this I’ve been posting that Amenians, especially in the USA, through Armenian organizations, Ramgavr, Hnchak and Dashnag should come together with their followers protesting in front of NBC, CBS, ABC media outlets. They have not reported at all on our situation, Artsakh, and the real potential threat against Armenia. If we were Jews or Blacks reporting would be #1. Agree or not that is the truth.
I recall a spirited discussion with my father. I told him that because Armenians, the main 3 organizations, just handed Turkey control of the Armenian Genocide. Each group went their separate way not realizing united we stand divided we fall. I’ve reported this same story many times without any response. I suspect since I am an unknown with Armenians I don’t know BUT I DO.
Russia has failed Armenia and is failing itself the pro Russians can claim he is failing Arktash because of Pashinyan however they can’t rationally explain Russia failing in Ukraine such as the ongoing incursion into Belgorod internationally recognised as Russia bit hard to pin that one on Pashinyan..
Concerned
parroting the same canards about Pashinyan and Russia and Armenians self destruction as usual.
The territorial claims by Aliyev seem well founded in gold mining rights and interests. See
Following war with Armenia, Azerbaijan gains control of lucrative gold mines | Eurasianet
and
Aliyevs’ Secret Mining Empire – The Panama Papers (occrp.org)
I’m not sure what you were trying to say there? But, in regards to Aliyev, the guy is a despot, and architect of genocidal ethnic cleansing. I’ve seen Aliyev lie through his teeth in media interviews in the fashion of a Fascist and Sociopath.
Cyber activists tasked with spreading Russophobia don’t want us Armenians to know that Baku’s real political power lies in the billions it makes annually by selling energy to Israel and Europe. They also don’t want us to know that Baku’s biggest ally and arms supplier is NATO member Turkey and the darling of the West, Israel. Fact: Armenia and Artsakh exist ONLY due to the Russian presence in the south Caucasus. This has been the case for the last 200 years. Our professional Russophobes also don’t want us to know that Russia is gradually destroying the entire armed forces of Ukraine (lavishly supported by the west and heralded to be one of the best in the world) and Russia is doing so with a fraction of its military capability. When this war ends Russia will be more powerful that before and Ukraine will be no more. And Armenia will sooner or later and one way or another will be going back to Mother Russia.
I find it interesting and quite puzzling that you say something to make a point while contradicting yourself at the same time. You say and I quote “Baku’s biggest ally and arms supplier is NATO member Turkey and the darling of the West, Israel. Fact: Armenia and Artsakh exist ONLY due to the Russian presence in the south Caucasus.”
Now, given what you claim, why is it that your beloved Russia commits hundreds of thousands of troops to invade a ‘brotherly’ country, Ukraine that is, and raze it to the ground and turn it into rubles and create millions of refugees, only under the suspicion that Ukraine wanted to join NATO, while at the same time that very same vengeful Russia having no problem with not only turning a blind eye but accommodating and allowing NATO member terrorist Turkey, one of Baku’s biggest allies and arm suppliers according to you, to show its ugly fascist face militarily in Russia’s military ally Armenia’s backyard in defense of terrorist artificial Azerbaijan? Why didn’t your beloved Russia take the same stand against NATO member terrorist Turkey as it did against Ukraine which is being assisted militarily by the same NATO that terrorist Turkey is a member?
>And Armenia will sooner or later and one way or another will be going back to Mother Russia.
You are correct about everything but I find unfounded confidence in this statement. I would not be so sure. Ukraine is a vital interest for Russia. Existential. Without Ukraine Russia ceases to be a European power. Armenia is not that important, it’s why no outside power messed around much there until the recent anti Russian madness came over the US. Also Armenia is going to be swallowed by Turkey, the new Ottomans. Who actually act like a sovereign unlike the EU. Why do you think the EU and NATO are always upset with Turkey, because Erdogan while Turkey since 1980 is a US vassal, Turkey at least tries to act like it’s sovereign despite the NATO state within a state. Russia loses one segment of the caucuses, Turkey gains, Turkey is happy with it’s US master, Armenia is gone and no one cares. That’s about it. Once it happens, Russia is not making conflict with Turkey to get it back.
Another fact Russophobes don’t talk about is that the West has more leverage over Azerbaijan than Russia.
That’s because Armenians want Russians to fight their wars as they go shopping in Paris…
Those who understand geopolitics and history know why Russia pulled it’s protective hand from over Artsakh in 2020. In a nutshell: for the same reason why Moscow allowed Armenians to raze Azeri settlements in 1992… for the same reason why Moscow allowed Abkhazians and Ossetians to raze Georgian settlements in 2008… for the same reason why Moscow is razing Ukranian settlements currently. Short answer: in 1992 Azeris put Russophobes in power; in 2005 Georgians put Russophobes in power; in 2014 Ukrainians put Russophobes in power; in 2018 and 2021 Armenians put Russophobes in power. It’s really that simple…
In short Russia is destroying what fraternity remained between Russia and Ukraine by invading the speaking of Russian or even the local patois dialect is declining rapidly and Ukraine is undergoing an alienation process where it is destroying it’s links to Russia. Yet racially and religiously Russia and Ukraine have far more in common with eachother racial, language, religious, cultural than Russia and Armenia so as Ukraine wants nothing to do with Russia nowadays. Yet Armenia apparently should not mind at all when Russia the nation that loves Armenia than Armenia does itself cavorts with Turkey and Azerbaijan ravages it’s neighbour Ukraine in a mad quest to revive the Soviet Union. The mass global exodus of Russians about a million from Russia including to Armenia in response to its invasion where some will be shopping in Paris rather than fighting for their nation clearly voting with their feet. So to woo Azerbaijan and Turkey, Russia sacrificed Armenia basically just like it did 100 years ago what a rotten friend to have.
It’s the spread of views with @ Concerned who has self loathing opinion of Armenia and feels that a compromise should have been made in the 1990s from a position of strength but Armenia must unite with Russia and @ Ararat who overstates the extent of Armenia 1994 victory and fails to realise that in the years since Azerbaijan had transformed and was no longer the routed force of 1994 and views Russia with cynicism yet both despise Pashinyan.
Myself: Armenia did squander it’s victory by not offering a compromise on the pain of resumption of hostilities when it had the military advantage the playing for time negotiations and resting on its laurels whilst Azerbaijan built up strength it’s military, didn’t take the losses in 2016 seriously enough, had too much faith in Russia and too narrow minded in its foreign policy. Pashinyan clearly a put up agent yet it’s clear that previous government was hoary and decrepit and reforms were needed. Also that whilst a poor leader the notion that he threw the conflict in order to appease Azerbaijan is escaping from the reality that they weren’t the same force chased away in 1994 things do change in 26 years surprising this might seem to some. Just take a look at the rise and fall of Germany in WW1 and WW2. Whilst it’s sad that he has acknowledged N-K as part of Azerbaijan it’s not like the apparently patriotic previous governments even recognised it as independent only recognised their declaration of independence from Azerbaijan but not as an independent Arktash let alone as part of Armenia so in that sense he hasn’t signed away because Armenia (for various reasons) never signed it up! Also something for the Russiaphiles is two days before Russia invaded Ukraine it had an partnership with Azerbaijan and is using its pipelines to Georgia to export oil and gas disguised as Azeri so in addition to its problems in Ukraine has to allow some favours such as doing nothing when Azerbaijan breaches it’s tripartite agreement
Who are the Russiaphobes? Who else. The Anglo Americans. US itself being a largely ethnic German and Irish which have been washed of their culture and Anglisized.
Pashinyan is engaging in semantics when he says that Nov 9th 2020 trilateral agreement does not mention Zangezur corridor. The fact of the matter is that the trilateral agreement is a piece of paper and has been shredded to pieces multiple times already ( remember what Khrimian Hayrig said about paper agreements) and what really matters are military forces on the ground. It is quite possible that the medieval siege/blockade of Karabakh is working and Pashinyan has capitulated to hand over the Zangezur corridor to Azeri/Russian control in exchange for lifting the blockade, public statements not withstanding. I say this because I am increasingly convinced that Pashinyan has not been truthful with the Armenian people about the gravity of the situation. Recently Cavusoglu and Aliyev have claimed Zangezur to be Azeri/Turkish territory given by mistake to Armenia by Russia. These changes may also coincide with an attack on Iran and so Iran may be in no position to help Armenia. The Zangezur corridor serves the interests of Russia/Turkey/Azerbaijan and even the US, because it will further isolate Iran. Any final “peace” agreement will simply reflect the disposition of military forces on the ground and will have nothing to do with “self determination” and “inalienable rights “ of people to live freely on their land.
I see that proper understanding history and geopolitics isn’t a thing in Armenian society. Let me explain why Moscow is acting the way it has been acting:
Russia is doing its best to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, and that unfortunately means war. Russia is also doing its best to pull Turkey away from NATO and bring Azerbaijan into its orbit, and that unfortunately means appeasing Turks and Azeris to a certain degree. Russia is also punishing us Armenians for our burning desire to be accepted by the Western world. This is why starting un 2018 Russia pulled away its protective hand just so slightly to bring us to our knees, but not destroy us, as Russia still needs an Armenia in the area.
So, as you can see, despite what Armenians are predisposed to think, politics is not a street fight or a domestic dispute. Politics is also not a black and white matter. Politics is a master level chess game and a highly refined science. Make sense now?
Those who have a keen understanding of geopolitics and history understand why Russia pulled away it’s protective hand from over Artsakh in 2020. Short answer: In 1992 Azeris put Russophobes in power in Baku. Russians responded by helping Armenians liberate Artsakh… In 2005 Georgians put Russophobes in power in Tbilisi. Russians responded by helping Abkhazians and Ossetians free themselves from Georgian rule… In 2014 Ukrainians put Russophobes in power in Kiev. Russians responded by taking Crimea and large swaths of eastern Ukraine… In 2018 and again in 2021 Armenians put Russophobes in power in Yerevan. Russians responded. The rest is history.
As I always say, political illiteracy has a high cost and there are no free lunches in politics. The good however news is that Russians and Iranians won’t allow the total destruction of Armenia or Artsakh. All in all, we are where we are because we refuse to learn leassons from history and we refuse to accept our reality. It’s really that simple.
Your nuts if you think Turkey will ever form a military union with Russia. I think our history of wars speaks for itself. Trade, tourists, some weapons sales is all you’ll ever get.
Russia is the aggressor here and deserves everything it gets for trying to form some long lost empire at the expanse of countless lives.
If Artsakh is lost the Armenians there will either flee, be killed or assimilate – there will be no Armenians left in Artsakh. It will be no different than losing Western Armenia. The only other option is to depose Pashinyan and fight back.
When it comes to Armenians, Azerbaijan’s mentality is just like the Nazis. They have no intention of allowing Armenians to live under their jurisdiction, let alone assimilate them. Pashinyan is either too naive, stupid or suffers from historical amnesia; or more likely, all of them at once.
America learned one thing from the Vietnam war. A determined people cannot be defeated. Those small child size Vietnamese, Defeated us. Yes, we ran, we abandoned Vietnam. Because those Vietnamese farmers, plowed their fields by day and shot at us during the night. Their determination prevailed.
If Armenia wants to win it has to develop battlefield Neutron weapons, Bomb and destroy the Azeri pipelines, their well rigs, storage tankers etc. If you are in a war, fight.
The US didn’t lose a single military engagement against Vietnam. South Vietnam was weak and corrupt, they did their best. Also people stopped caring about Vietnam at that point.
@ Concerned Armenian… Just wow. Brain gymnastics much? Russia is great this time of the year maybe you should leave the evil USA and go live there. Your no different then the Erdoğan supporting Turks living in Germany on welfare. They vote left there and right in Turkey. Germany’s votes decided the outcome. A guy who visits Turkey once a year for 3 days has a say on how they people live there.
For Azerbaijanis, kicking out a hundred thousand Armenians is no big deal, seeing as they are taught in school about Armenians kicking out 700, 000 thousand azeris from the surrounding territory’s. if pashinyan does not manage to sign a peace deal in the next 3_5 years, there will be another war inevitably and I think Armenia will loose again, then it would be followed by a mass exedus of Armenians from nagorno-karabakh with Azerbaijan fully taking the Territory along with some of Armenia proper. It’s just like analyzing the Future, which some may think is wrong until it finally happens. That is why Armenia needs to establish peace with all three regional powers in their area, Turkey most importantly, because they won’t be neutral if war break’s out
You start off by saying if Armenians don’t sign a peace deal the Azerbaijani criminals can do this and that and at the end you say if war breaks out Turkey will be on the Azerbaijani side. I think only the last part of what you say may be true assuming Turkish terrorist-in-chief Er-dog-an has not kicked the bucket and is still in power. What you don’t realize is that without terrorist Turkey and all of their other criminal collaborators, Israel in particular which has now replaced Russia in weapons deliveries in return for cheap Caspian oil and Israeli bases in Azerbaijani-occupied Armenian territories bordering its arch-enemy Iran, Azerbaijan has ZERO chance against Armenia and history has proven that to be the case over and over again. The Armenian Liberation War ending in Armenian victory in 1994 and 4-Day April 2016 ‘rehearsal’ for war were examples of these. They have wealth and weapons purchasing power but not the expertise and the competency to put them to use and that is where NATO member terrorist Turkey comes into play. We need to neutralize terrorist Turkish military involvement in our backyard. Aliyev’s only hope is terrorist Turkey and that is why he barks like he does.
What Armenia is lacking today is a true patriotic leader and instead has an incompetent unpatriotic fool who thinks everything is up for sale in the name of ‘peace’ with enemies whose political doctrines are based on the destruction of the Armenian nationhood. If Armenian enemies genuinely wanted peace with Armenia they would have faced their criminal past to begin with. They not only have not but have instead glorified their past criminal leaders and today through this fool in office are trying to dictate to us not only our foreign policies but are also interfering in our domestic affairs. They have in front of them the proverbial cow and they will milk him dry forcing him into all kinds of concessions with no commitment and reciprocity on their parts. This fool in office has made even a bigger fool of himself and the sooner he leaves office the sooner Armenia will bounce back on its feet and expose Aliyev who he really is, an empty suit without terrorist Turkey and a rabid dog waging its tail waiting to be neutered!
Those who have a keen understanding of geopolitics and history understand why Russia has been treating Armenia the way it has. In 1992 Azeris put Russophobes in power in Baku. Russians responded by helping Armenians liberate Artsakh… In 2005 Georgians put Russophobes in power in Tbilisi. Russians responded by helping Abkhazians and Ossetians free themselves from Georgian rule… In 2014 Ukrainians put Russophobes in power in Kiev. Russians responded by taking Crimea and large swaths of eastern Ukraine… In 2018 and again in 2021 Armenians put Russophobes in power in Yerevan. Russians responded. The rest is history.
Armenia’s independence from Russia equates to Armenia’s dependence on Turkey. Armenia won’t survive alone in the south Caucasus. The West is too far away and it is not interested in Armenia. Armenia need Russia, and to a lesser extent Iran, for survival.
As I always say, political illiteracy has a high cost and there are no free lunches in politics. The good news is that Russians and Iranians won’t allow the total destruction of Armenia or Artsakh. The better news is, the quicker Armenia joins the Russian union the better. All in all, we are where we are because we refuse to learn leassons from history and we refuse to deal with reality. It’s really that simple.
Armenia’s plight is a historic victory for all those who proudly and enthusiastically supported the velvet revolution in 2018. Thank you George Soros. Thank you USAID. Thank you NED. Thank you US embassy in Armenia. God bless democracy. God bless westernization. God bless the USA. Armenia’s future looks great now that we finally got rid of Moscow’s puppets known as the criminal Karabakh clan. Thank you everybody. I knew we could do it!
Emotional ramblings all around. Armenia has absolutely no control in karabakh, which is recognized the world over as Azerbaijanis territory. karabakh is a rump non viable entity as of Today. Russia will want to put off any settlement of the problem as it gives them leverage over Azerbaijan, but Russia is getting weaker with all its resources concentrated in a very determined Ukraine. Armenia has absolutely no option but to recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan if it wants to avoid Azerbaijanis encroaching. Karabakh has only two options in my opinion total integration into Azerbaijan or a Russian controlled rump entity totally reliant on Azerbaijan.
It’s proven in laboratory studies that watching propaganda outlets like CNN, Fox (minus Tucker Carlson) and BBC kills brain cells. This “Russia is getting weaker” nonsense is a CIA talking point that is being parroted by Western MSN and consumed by unsuspecting people. It’s meant to make Ukrainians fight to the death and keep westerners paying for it. Fact is, Russia is successfully fighting the combined forces of Ukraine and NATO, and it is doing so with a fraction of its military capability. Fact is, Russia’s economy is quite doing well and President Putin’s popularity is at record levels. As soon as the existential threat coming from Ukraine is neutralized, the Russian Bear will turn its attention back to the south Caucasus. What Armenians need to do is get rid of the current Western/Turkish led regime in Yerevan and preserve the fortress until Ivan returns…
concerned Armenian it doesn’t take a genius to see that the moment Ukraine defended itself from Russia’s “special military operations” that was the moment Russia lost the objective of its war in Ukraine. Russia is indeed weaker for that. China will have more influence in central Asia the only part of the world that stood by Russia really. as for Armenia shouting and tearing your clothes about karabakh won’t change the reality on the ground. if a second war stated next year or two Armenia would still loose and badly this time. the options I gave karabakh Armenians apart of leaving too Armenia still stands
@Austin onah “concerned armenian” has an infatuation with Russia and when someone is so delusional they are beyond reason. He is broadly right that Armenia should have made an offer in 1994 when in a position of strength to settle the conflict rather than shilly-shally for the next 26 years whilst Azerbaijan gained strength and Armenian Arktash lost badly in 2020 which he attributes to Pashinyan treachery and Russia holding back out of legalistic reasons it wasn’t part of Armenia as such and apparently wanting to teach Armenia as lesson about loyalty. As for Russia it can hardly expect Armenia to remain the same kind of friend after being left in the lurch in 2020 and then becoming a pariah over its actions in Ukraine where it has faltered somewhat and been unable to uphold it’s legal undertakings it signed up with in 2020 which actually shows up Russia more now than it did then. Indeed for Russia providing Armenia proper wasn’t attacked and the genocide issue remains it could base it’s relationship upon that basis in the confidence that Armenia would have no other option. Concerned also suggests Armenia should unify with Russia oblivious to the fact that as Russia gets on well enough with Turkey and Azerbaijan and the current sanctions against Russia would equally apply to Armenia and as an appendage of Russia it would mean that it would be impossible for the west to restrain Turkey and Azerbaijan if they were to attack Armenia.
Austin,
It does not take a genius to see that Russia and China together are changing the Western led world order that came into form after the Second World War. By invading a Western backed Ukraine in Europe, Russia defeated the West. It will be a long and bloody struggle. Russia has one the world’s finest armed forces. Russia is a massive nuclear power. Russia is one of the very few nations on earth that can be totally self-reliant. Russia will come out the better for it in the end.
Charles,
Basing my opinion on how often you refer to me, your obsessions obviously includes me. My obsessions on the other hand is with Armenia’s long term security and prosperity and defeating satanists in the West, also known as the Western elite. For me, Russia plays a fundamental role on both account. So, please, abandon the darkside and enter into the light.
@Concerned Armenian
I believe you to be an intelligent man. And I believe you to be an emotional one. In your case emotions trumps logic/intelligence
You stated that propaganda outlets like CNN kill brain cells? As a researcher I would love to see the study on that and see how it was structured. So please share.
I’m not sure what sources you follow, but most analysis have pointed out significant communication, infrastructure and morale problems among the Russian Armed Forces. Russia was expected to have captured Kiev in matter of days but now seems unable to do so.
If Russia’s goal is to make the West week by sacrificing her own people, shrinking its economy (sources states upto 2.5% this year due to the recent expansion of the conflict) and losing massive amounts of war material then that speaks to the misguided aims of Putin. If he has no qualms sacrificing Russians to further his goals, then what do you think he will do with Armenians.
We lost the war. It wasn’t Pashiniyan alone who lost it. Every leader after 1994 is complicit. The whole stab in the back theory is not new. We still haven’t gotten over it. Our defenses were supposed to be impenetrable, in fact we were talking about tea in Baku. This loss shattered that illusion and we needed a good conspiracy theory to hide our collective shame and guilt.
If your goal is to be part of Russia then there is no more Armenia. It seems you are ok with giving up our freedom and self-determination to Russia which I am absolutely against.
Concerned Armenian,
you speak like a concerned Russian who just can’t accept reality. Russia will be reduced to a little brother status to China in economics, kind of like how Russia – Armenia relationship is. Armenia will suffer more from isolation if it sides with a failing Russia anymore than it already is. and karabakh for all intents and purposes is a lost cause for the republic of Armenia.
Charles
You are Right about concerned Armenian to a large extent. I would have thought he is a concerned Russian in Armenia. if Armenia embraced Putin’s Russia and Supported it fully I won’t be surprised if a country like Georgia blocked it’s Border with Armenia In the long run. western incursions into Armenia can also be told bye bye.
It’s facinating how cyber-warriors claiming to be Armenians and Turks can work hand-in-hand to get Russians out of Armenia. Thankfully, real Armenians know better. Charles and Austin, your agenda is obvious and it will fail just like how it failed 3 years ago, 30 years ago, 100 years ago and 200 years ago. Everybody knows Armenia can’t survive as a nation in a place like the south Caucasus without direct support from Russia. So it more than obvious why your kind is so obsessively anti Russian.
Hello Austin it’s good to see a realist here who sees things for what they are not how they would rather. As for Russia claiming the status of karabakh should be resolved at an another date, Azerbaijan has waited long enough and won’t wait much longer. Indeed what Russia is doing to Armenia is giving them hope against hope, and fobbing off with effectively I’ll be coming soon um I’ve got a bit of a problem but I’m on my way oh I’ve just a bit busy now but will be coming soon i promise don’t give up on me I’m your friend i said i will come when I can! Perhaps this is why Armenia is now say whatever Russia but actions speak louder than words. Moreover Armenia for various reasons never even recognised Arktash as independent let alone as part of Armenia so in that sense Pashinyan isn’t signing it away because Armenia never signed it up. As for his statement about the western led 1945 world order, nothing forever and no doubt it’s coming under massive challenges. Nevertheless it’s not as though Russia has conquered Ukraine NATO collapsed US bases in Europe abandoned, Britain regime ended in such circumstances if Armenia gave up on Arktash then that would be absurd of course we know what the reality of events are.
Also Azerbaijan is more important to Russia and practical it can help keep the restive Caucasus border safe for Russia, land link to Iran, influence of oil and gas pipelines as an alternative conduit than Armenia which is more of a sentimental relationship something that needs to be acknowledged aswell hard this may be to the sentimentalists. Also there has to be a coming to terms with the fact that Armenia which had done so well in 1994 had been eclipsed by Azerbaijan since then thus what was true in 1994 wasn’t anymore the poster Ararat realistic and unsentimental about Russia seems unable to comprehend this fact,and it wasn’t Pashinyan selling out as such but that it was actually a case of loosing to a stronger foe. The problems faced by Russia lately should make this easier to understand but some are too proud and stubborn to come to terms with this and prefer to indulge in stab in the back myths,if only we hadn’t upset Russia they would have prevented this, Pashinyan threw it because he is traitor, Azerbaijan couldn’t have won without Turkey, Israel and jihadist hired guns. Russia would easily have won if Ukraine was on its own for example but this is pointless whatiffery!
Also prior to 2020 Kremlin shill Andrew Korybko would constantly state Armenia must withdraw from internationally recognised Azerbaijan, not recognised even by Armenia itself and mocking Armenia unguided (Soviet/Russian) projectiles used in 2020 , insinuations about Metsamor power station being a potential Chernobyl nuclear disaster if Armenia was faced with conquest praise reelection of Pashinyan in 2021 as pursuing peace rather than war and how N-K was always Azerbaijan. In 2022 the same man says nothing about the exponentially greater scale of unguided projectiles used by Russia in Ukraine annexations of Ukraine including parts it doesn’t control “reintegration” not a word about Zaporozhia nuclear power plant being in the crossfire and thus a much greater risk to public safety than Metsamor was during the conflict yet the pro Russian factions ignore these uncomfortable facts of betrayal along with the signing away western Armenia and Arktash and narrowing the gas pipeline from Iran. The Saker blogger based in Florida now closed down ,out of shame and embarrassment? was all about how incredible Russian military equipment is was among those scornful of Armenia in 2020 he did criticise the California community perhaps like many diaspora tend to have unrealistic views of their homelands only like Andrew Korybko to find the joke on them a little over a year later
In short Armenia had become eclipsed since 1994
Russia isn’t that sentimental about Armenia so no reason to be particularly sentimental about Russia
Russia although not out for the count is massively discredited internationally
Russia has in effect been suck it up Armenia about Arktash and now Azerbaijan will get on better with us just the good old Soviet days oh by the way you are going to be as friends with us just as before and not to have any sense of our gross hypocracy in Ukraine and not to mind a jot about our good relationship with Azerbaijan and Turkey aren’t you?
Armenians need to acknowledge the changes locally and internationally since 2020 otherwise will continue to falter
Professional Russophobes will not rest until all of Armenia is totally handed over to Turks. Rational people who sincerely care about Armenia’s well being realize that a tiny, impoverished, remote, embattled and inexperienced nation like Armenia has no chance of survival in the south Caucasus. Without Russia in Armenia, there will be no Armenia on the world map. The good news is Russia wants Armenia fully back inside its orbit. Sooner or later, one way or another, Armenia will go back to Mother Russia and the nightmare of the last 30 years will be over.
it’s times like this I wish someone like you became the president of Armenia. I’d like to see how you screw up the country to extinction, because let’s be honest all your BS yelling about Russia tells me you’d rather let Armenia burn to the ground than see it be truly independent from Putin. Armenia reminds me of Nepal and Bhutan two countries stuck between bigger neighbors. I’d like you to learn both their histories, maybe it will help you calm your ramblings about Russia.