The Prime Minister of Armenia tore off the mask: the goal is to squeeze Russia out of the Transcaucasus

“Increasing the level of interoperability of units participating in international peacekeeping missions” is the officially declared goal of the joint US-Armenian exercises ARTSIV PARTNER 2023, which is to be held from September 11 to 20 in Armenia based on the Zar training center. They were announced against the backdrop of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s interview with the Italian La Repubblica, in which he stated that the Russian Federation cannot ensure the security of Armenia, and it should look for other partners.

This is not Pashinyan’s first step, which can be regarded as unfriendly towards the Russian Federation. Recall that earlier Armenia refused to conduct CSTO exercises on its territory. And on September 1, the Armenian government submitted to parliament a draft decision on the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Especially for MK, Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, commented on this news.

– There are reports that Azerbaijan has begun transferring military equipment to the borders of Armenia. The Armenian media write about the repetition of the scenario of 2020, when the second Karabakh war broke out, ending with the defeat of the Armenian side. Perhaps it is logical that Yerevan demonstrates strength by conducting joint military exercises with the Americans?

– Of course, it is this version that Pashinyan will submit in his defense in response to reproaches that he is cheating on Russia at a time when the United States is actually at war with the Russian Federation at the hands of Ukrainians.

But I’m sure it’s not the most important thing. The main thing is that these exercises are an element of a policy aimed at separating Armenia from the Russian Federation and reorienting it to the West and the United States.

Based on the distribution of roles between Western countries, the UK is unlikely to take part in this, since it is an ally of Turkey and Azerbaijan. But the United States is flirting with both the Armenian diaspora and Armenia, without interrupting contacts with Azerbaijan and not to the detriment of its interests there.

The United States supported the recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Carrying out these maneuvers only speaks of what we have been warning about for a long time. I have said many times, including to our leadership, that building relationships with the Pashinyan government, trusting it means building a building on sand. But for noble reasons, we did not support the opposition in Armenia, because we believed that Pashinyan was the guarantor of peace with Azerbaijan after the Second Karabakh War.

– What are the consequences?

– Today, in two hands from opposite sides, both Pashinyan’s Armenia and Azerbaijan are working not only to fulfill their own interests, but also to oust Russia from the Transcaucasus. Pashinyan, dropping all the masks, does it publicly. The ousting of Russia from Transcaucasia will lead to further penetration of Turkey into the Caspian Sea, Central Asia and further into the Russian Federation into its Muslim, Turkic regions. This is the prospect we face if we continue to remain in a lethargic sleep.

– Could the blocking of the Lachin corridor be prevented?

– We let ourselves be convinced that any attempt to fulfill our obligations to deblockade the Lachin corridor by force would almost lead to the opening of a second front against Russia. But after all, the President of Azerbaijan also signed the agreements that the Lachin corridor will be a communication between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Baku and Yerevan deliberately did not accompany the trilateral agreement on the settlement of the conflict with the signing of an agreement on the mandate of peacekeepers, which would describe their rights and obligations.

It saddens me that some of our officials tend to hide behind Pashinyan’s betrayal when they explain their position in this conflict.

– What do you have in mind?

– They say something like this: “Pashinyan recognized Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Well, we can’t argue with that! So that’s the way it is.”

And what, Pashinyan is the owner of the Armenians of Karabakh, are they his serfs? Yes, he, like his predecessors, did not recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. But the right to self-determination of the Armenian people of Karabakh has been the subject of discussion for decades in the negotiating group in which we participated.

Are we denying the right to self-determination? Then why did we recognize this right in the case of Crimea in 2014, absolutely right, in my opinion?

We recognized the right to self-determination for Donetsk, Lugansk. And in the case of the Armenians of Karabakh, who defended this right with arms in their hands and achieved success in the 90s, for some reason we believe that since Pashinyan said, it means that they do not have this right.

What kind of position is this? Can we really be proud of such a position? King Francis, having been captured by the Spaniards after the defeat of his army, said: “Everything is lost, except honor.” At least take care of your honor.