RA Former FM: Wars are not fought for victory, but to impose one`s will

ArmInfo. "During the first conference of the Pan-Armenian Council of Diplomats, I outlined the essence of Azerbaijan's policy, noting that wars are not fought for victory, but to impose one's will," former Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Ayvazyan said at a briefing with journalists on December 11, commenting on Ararat Mirzoyan's statement  that the issue of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is no longer a priority on the country's agenda. "Now, in my observations, our enemy is trying to impose its will on us.  I refer to this as ideological and cultural expansion," Ayvazyan added, noting that the statements made by the current Foreign Minister regarding the genocide precisely reflect the intentions of Azerbaijan.

In this context, he also recalled that during his time as Foreign Minister, his ministry initiated special events on April 24, 2021, the first year of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide after the 44-day war. These events were dedicated to  presenting the Artsakh war as one of the manifestations of genocidal policy.  "On April 24, 2021, thanks to the efforts of our Ministry, 34 international delegations visited Armenia," Ayvazyan recalled.

He expressed doubts that the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan could resolve the issues of prisoners of war and unblocking communications. In his opinion, although he does not know the details of the negotiations, the issues of prisoners and unblocking will remain unresolved.  "The most important principle that ensures peace in the region is that there should be no winners or losers:  one side should not get everything, while the other always gives in," the former Foreign Minister said.

Touching upon the statements about the possibility of Armenia withdrawing its claims in international courts if a peace agreement is signed, he noted that in his observations, Azerbaijan does not respect any agreements and dictates its own agenda. Therefore there will be no guarantees of the implementation of agreements even after the claims are abandoned. In this vein, he noted that there are no signs that Azerbaijan truly wants to establish peace with Armenia. "If this desire existed, the agreement would have been signed long ago," Ayvazyan emphasized.  Ayvazyan also touched upon the statements of the Armenian side about the country's withdrawal from the CSTO, emphasizing  that the world order is collapsing, with each country primarily concerned about its own security. Countries rely on their internal resources and alliances for their existence. "Armenia believes it does not need alliances, but currently lacks any friendly allies. This is a serious problem that causes concern," the former head of the Foreign Ministry concluded.