
No “Western Armenia” Outside Borders of Republic of Armenia, Says Pashinyan
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and his wife Anna Hakobyan released a video yesterday showing the two of them sitting around the table in their home for a one-hour intimate discussion of various points he raised in his New Year’s message to the nation.
In the video, Pashinyan doubled down on his claim that Armenia has never been as stable and independent as it is now and pointed to his “Real Armenia” ideology, that focuses on the current situation and excludes nostalgic notions of historic Armenia, as the main underlying factor for this.
Pashinyan, in the video, also talked about the role of the state as the sole guarantor of stability and the preservation of what he described as “national values”. To explain this role played by the state, he referenced Armenian history and how Armenian kings of the day supported and abetted the invention of the Armenian alphabet and the introduction of Christianity as the state religion.
Referring to recent statements by Baku that portions of the Republic of Armenia are actually “Western Azerbaijan”, Pashinyan noted that western Azerbaijan is that region just east of the border with Armenia.
Similarly, Pashinyan said western Armenia ends at the current Republic of Armenia’s eastern border with neighboring Turkey. That’s to say, there’s no western Armenia outside the republic’s borders.
Pashinyan, on his Facebook page today, posted the following summary of his positions vis-à-vis relations with Azerbaijan and how he views recent remarks made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev describing Armenia as a “fascist state” and condemning Armenia’s arms purchases. Pashinyan also called for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group.
- Western Azerbaijan is Qazax, Tovuz, Aghstafa, Gadabay, Dashkasan, Kelbajar, Lachin, Kubadli, Zangelan. There is no Western Azerbaijan beyond this and cannot be. If they really want to search for it elsewhere, then we can consider Nakhichevan as Western Azerbaijan too.
- Western Armenia is Armavir, Talin, Maralik. There is no Western Armenia beyond this and cannot be.
- Eastern Armenia is Ijevan, Berd, Chambarak, Vardenis, Jermuk, Goris, Kapan, Nerkin Hand, Nrnadzor. There is no Eastern Armenia beyond this and cannot be.
- Azerbaijan insists for Armenia to discuss the issue of the rights of refugees, under the “Western Azerbaijan” narrative. When Azerbaijan is using the narrative of “the issue of return of Western Azerbaijan refugees” it is closing the possibility of any discussion by using this wording, because it makes it evident that it is attempting to use the issue of refugees to question the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia, a sovereign state and subject of international law, and to form territorial demands against Armenia. First, to discuss the issue, Azerbaijan must abandon the “Western Azerbaijan” and similar narratives.
- By questioning the right to have a defense-capable military in the outline of the circumstances mentioned in the previous point, official Baku is attempting to gain an opportunity to carry out unimpeded aggression against the Republic of Armenia.
- The proposal of the Republic of Armenia on establishing lasting stability and peace in the region is clear:
A) To mutually abandon escalatory narratives,
B) To continue the delimitation process based on the experience of the delimitation carried out in Berkaber-Voskepar section and the regulation on the joint activity of the two countries’ delimitation commissions,
C) To sign a peace treaty, which is 90% ready,
D) Implement the “Crossroads of Peace” project, by also resolving the issue of Azerbaijan-Azerbaijan connection through the territory of the Republic of Armenia, and the issue of Armenia-Armenia connection through the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in accordance with the proposals presented by Armenia to Azerbaijan with results of the meeting in Kazan,
E) Introduce a joint mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations,
F) Fully resolve the issue of detained persons,
G) To work in full intensity to resolve the issue of determining the fate of missing people,
H) Withdraw the claims against each other, including, but not limited to, claims in international courts,
I) To work on the complete and effective implementation of the provisions of the peace treaty.
J) To form a mechanism for negotiating around mutual arms control, quota allocation, restrictions of use of armaments,
K) To discuss the issues pertaining to refugees from the two countries in the whole, by forming a joint professional, expert commission after the establishment of peace,
L) To dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group.
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