BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The discrepancies between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's claims and actions are familiar to political experts and foreign watchers, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
Garayev pointed out that Pashinyan's words not matching his actions are causing a lot of instability in Armenia's domestic and foreign policy. One of the shining examples of this approach is Pashinyan's claims to the Azerbaijani Constitution.
“Although he claims that Azerbaijan allegedly has “territorial claims” against Armenia, the statements made in connection with the proposals for changes contained in the Armenian Constitution overshadow these ideas. Consequently, these claims appear to be unrealistic and manipulative political tools.
While Pashinian claims to be steering Armenia's domestic and foreign policies towards peace, in reality, it is becoming clear that these policies are preparing the ground for a new conflict with Azerbaijan. The revanchist mindset that exists in Armenian society is still alive, and this mindset is supported by Pashinyan's manipulative rhetoric. Armenia's preservation of its claims on the territory of Azerbaijan and the desire to open the status of Karabakh Armenians for discussion hinder the establishment of peace in the region,” he said.
The political analyst mentioned that during the period when Armenia was defeated in the war, it was expected that Pashinyan would urge peace as a way out of the situation.
According to him, the intentions behind these peace proposals are questionable.
“There is a view in Azerbaijani society that Armenia is essentially pursuing the goal of buying time to prepare for a new war. If this is true, then any new aggression in Armenia could pose a serious threat to Armenia's own statehood as well.
Despite statements made that Armenia socially supports Karabakh Armenians through foreign aid and funding, most of this money is not actually directed to their needs. The financial aid allocated to Armenia from the West does not achieve its goal due to mismanagement of funds, and as a result, Karabakh Armenians continue to find themselves in difficult social and living conditions. The transformation of Armenia's aid to Karabakh Armenians into an instrument of political manipulation leads to the revelation of the main intentions of the Pashinyan government. Yerevan's main goal is to strengthen its economic and military potential and thus take a stronger position in front of Azerbaijan,” Garayev emphasized.
He pointed out that the actions of Samvel Shahramanyan and other ex-separatist leaders within Armenia also drive home the fact that Yerevan has made the Karabakh Armenians a political pawn.
“Even though Pashinyan stated that “there is one government in Armenia,” these separatist leaders are still pursuing their political ambitions and acting with the support of the Armenian government.
Azerbaijan's position, on the other hand, is clear. Official Baku has repeatedly stated that it is ready for Karabakh Armenians to accept Azerbaijani citizenship and join the reintegration process. As part of this process, the rights and security of Karabakh Armenians will be fully ensured, and they will have the same rights as other citizens of Azerbaijan.
These conflicting approaches in Armenia's domestic and foreign policy are a real thorn in the country's side on its journey towards peace. If Armenia wants to achieve lasting peace in the region, it must first and foremost bury the hatchet and let bygones be bygones with Azerbaijan. Only then can we lay down roots for long-term stability in the region,” he added.
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