Kocharyan clarifies why he was not at Republic Square with   protesters during the fall of Artsakh in  2023

ArmInfo.Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan clarified why he was not at  Republic Square with the protesters during the fall of Artsakh in  2023.  During a press conference on February 17, when asked why he was not present with the citizens demanding the resignation of the current government of Armenia during the exodus of Armenians from Artsakh, 

Kocharyan noted that at that time he was negotiating with the former  Artsakh leaders. "My entire team was at  Republic Square during those  days. I personally was not there - you are right. However, my entire  team was present and they made a corresponding statement, which I had  approved. While my team was at the square, I was in constant  communication with Bako Sahakyan, Arkady Ghukasyan and other people,  making phone calls 5, 6, 10 times a day " Kocharyan explained. 

According to the former president, there are things that he cannot  currently discuss publicly. The politician added that he had  suggested options for getting them out of there. Kocharyan did not  dismiss the possibility of addressing this publicly in the future,  under more favorable conditions. "I cannot speak openly at this time,   as it may raise questions: in what way and how. Yes, at the moment my  primary concern was about these people, as I had before my eyes a  picture of what is happening in the Azerbaijani courts today. This  trial is shameful. They should not never have been there. The  Republic of Armenia should have  taken every possible step to rescue  them: send a helicopter, negotiate with Russian peacekeepers. I tried  to resolve this issue without the authorities, working around clock,"  he said.