BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 13. Calls for "peace" from Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are creating a completely different picture through his real actions, political analyst Azer Garayev said in an interview with Trend.
"Pashinyan recently claimed that the concept of the return to Western Azerbaijan poses a threat to Armenia's territorial integrity. He called on Azerbaijan to 'refrain from escalation' and to sign an 'institutional peace.' However, these statements are full of contradictions and manipulative approaches.
First and foremost, the concept of 'institutional peace' emphasized by Pashinyan requires Armenia to recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, not only in political statements but also in its constitution and other normative legal documents. Currently, Armenia's Constitution and Declaration of Independence still contain territorial claims against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty. Therefore, in order for the calls for 'peace' to have real and lasting results, these claims must first be eliminated," Garayev said.
According to the expert, while Pashinyan has been singing a different tune about his willingness for peace talks lately, his actions paint a whole other picture.
"The Pashinyan government has repeatedly stated that it is ready to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan. He makes peace calls to draw international attention and gain additional support for Armenia. However, his practical steps show that this rhetoric is just a facade. The main goal of Pashinyan's policy is to deceive the international community and buy time to militarize Armenia. By sending a message of "wanting peace," he falsely claims that Azerbaijan is creating a military threat while simultaneously trying to purchase weapons from the West.
Pashinyan's recent visit to France and his steps toward military cooperation with the country are raising serious concerns. Paris has already started sending military equipment and weapons to Armenia. Since the end of 2023, France has supplied Armenia with 'CAESAR' self-propelled howitzers, anti-aircraft missile systems, and other military equipment. French President Emmanuel Macron has openly stated that France will continue supporting Armenia. The Macron government sees Armenia as one of its key partners in the region and continues its policy of arming the country," he added.
Garayev pointed out that this doesn't do a lick of good for peace in the region; on the flip side, it really throws a wrench in the works and makes things a whole lot trickier.
"The main goal of Pashinyan is not real peace but rather to strengthen Armenia's military potential and prepare for future provocations. While sending peace messages to the international community, he is actually buying time and seeking political and diplomatic support to arm Armenia.
If he truly wanted to sign a peace agreement, he would remain committed to his obligations, ensure the rejection of revanchist and separatist ideologies in the country, work for peace instead of arming the country, and not incite foreign states to escalate tensions in the South Caucasus. However, Pashinyan's current policy shows that the Armenian leadership is focused on acquiring new weapons and obtaining military-political support from the West rather than pursuing peace. Despite these manipulations, Azerbaijan continues to maintain its principled stance to ensure long-term stability and security in the region," Garayev concluded.
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