Before elections to Armenian NA, a certain piece of paper may be  `presented` in the form of preliminary agreement - Robert Kocharyan

ArmInfo. The preliminary signing of a peace treaty with Baku is another terminological trick to fool people, which is not true. This was stated by the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, in an interview with Channel 5, commenting on the possibility of a preliminary signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"What does "preliminary signing" mean? I was president for 10 years,  signed many agreements, but there was never such an option as  "preliminary signing".

If there are many disagreements, it means that there is no agreement  that could be signed. And if they talk about preliminary signing, it  means that they are planning to issue a paper before the elections  that will not have any legal consequences and does not impose any  obligations. Preliminary signing is another terminological trick to  fool people, which is not true. A self-respecting person cannot take  this terminology seriously," he noted.

When asked what, in his opinion, is currently being discussed in the  negotiations, Robert Kocharyan answered: "The so-called peace treaty  is being discussed, which still requires the fulfillment of a number  of conditions. At the highest level in Azerbaijan, they stated that  they will not sign the agreement until the Constitution of Armenia is  amended and the Minsk Group is dissolved. But I suppose that in  connection with certain electoral processes, Armenia may be  "presented" with a piece of paper in the form of a preliminary  agreement - in order to influence voters," he said.

Kocharyan asks, what is the "peace agenda", why did Nikol Pashinyan  become the flagship of the peace agenda?

"I would like to remind you what slogans were used during the 2018  revolution. There were three main themes: social justice, the fight  against corruption, and democracy. There was no peace agenda. When  Nikol Pashinyan provoked the war, because for two years his speeches  were the speeches of a nationalist leader who did not accept "any  concessions." After the defeat in the war, the peace agenda became  relevant for the frightened society. He brought this defeat - and he  himself took up the banner of the peace agenda that arose as a result  of this defeat. He completely failed social justice, the fight  against corruption, and democracy. I believe that he betrayed all  those ideas under the influence of which the change of power took  place in 2018. He brought defeat - and under the banner of this  defeat he holds power," he emphasized. To the remark that, as it  turned out, "it works" since, according to sociologists, one of the  main reasons for Kocharyan's defeat in 2021 was that Pashinyan  campaigned for peace, while Kocharyan's name was associated with  possible new liberation battles, the second president said: "You are  right. This is the whole paradox. Hundreds of thousands of people  took to the streets, inspired by three key issues. In all three  areas, the government has completely failed. And the failure in  security issues has created a new agenda for him.  And with this  agenda, he was re-elected in 2021. This is truly absurd."