Sharmazanov: Azerbaijan`s President is permissive due to Pashinyan`s  actions

ArmInfo.The reason for  the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's permissiveness is the actions  of  current Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Former Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament and member of the Republican Party Eduard Sharmazanov stated this at a press conference on February 3.

Sharmazanov assured that the "Crossroads of Peace" project presented  by the Armenian Prime Minister is an empty "piece of paper", much  liked the promised peace treaty. According to him, Pashinyan uses  these initiatives only to justify his ineffective policies. "Now  Pashinyan and his team have begun declaring their intention to join  the European Union in a similar manner. The goal of these statements  is to distract public attention from Aliyev's statements that  contradict the peace process," Sharmazanov clarified At the same  time, he assured that the  Armenian government's focus on European  integration is not in line with Armenia's foreign policy interests.  As the former vice speaker noted, the Prime Minister, while striving  to integrate into the EU, is trying to simultaneously maintain  membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and receive  dividends from it, despite acknowledging the impossibility of  combining membership in both structures.

"Armenia's economic recovery today is directly related to the  country's presence in the EAEU. Most of Armenia's goods and energy  resources come from the Eurasian market. If Armenia worsens relations  with Russia, this will lead to a sharp decline in the standard of  living of the population," Sharmazanov noted.  Touching upon  Pashinyan's intentions to establish a strategic partnership with the  United States, he expressed the opinion that the Prime Minister is  creating the illusion of saving Armenia from Azerbaijani aggression  with the help of the United States. In this vein, he drew attention  to the absence of any clauses in the document on guarantees of  Armenia's security from the United States.  "Thus, he is trying to  create false expectations in our society. No one is against  establishing relations with America, but in the current realities,  when there are serious contradictions in our region between the  collective West and Russia, as well as between the West and Iran,  anti-Russian or anti-Iranian actions can make Armenia more  vulnerable," the Republican believes.

In this vein, Sharmazanov expressed the belief that Pashinyan's  so-called "Real Armenia" implies the country being under the yoke of  Turkey. "If we can't talk about Ararat, Western Armenia, our national  liberation struggle or the Diaspora, then what can we talk about at  all? Apparently, according to Pashinyan, the history of "Real  Armenia" begins in 2018, when he became Prime Minister, and before  that our country had no history," the former vice speaker of  parliament noted. Additinally, he pointed out the contrast between  the signatures of the third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, on  the 1992 operation to liberate Shushi and the 1994 ceasefire  agreement, and Pashinyan's signature  on the 2020 capitulation  agreement and the recognition of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan in  October 2022. "Artsakh was surrendered by Nikolai Pashinyan, and  during the expulsion of the Armenian population, he did nothing to  protect his citizens.  Azerbaijani and Turkish narratives are being  introduced into Armenia precisely dut to him," Sharmazanov  emphasized. At the same time, he expressed confidence that if  Pashinyan remains in power, the country will face even greater  territorial and human losses. "This is evident from his 6.5 years of  leadership. He talks about peace and sovereignty, while our country's  sovereignty  has been thrown at the "feet" of Turkey and Azerbaijan.  Under his leadership, several hundred square kilometers of Armenian  territory are under occupation, yet he claims that the country is  unable to restore its sovereignty. Tomorrow, he may even declare that  he did not give anything up, but only signed for the surrender of our  territories," Sharmazanov concluded.