Experts: The habit of "begging for money" has become part of Armenian policy - COMMENT

Financial assistance to the separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh from the outside will not solve their deplorable socio-economic conditions, Azerbaijani experts say, commenting on Washington’s decision to stop financial assistance to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Indeed, demining territories in conflict zones is expensive, because it requires technology and very high-skilled personnel. You know that in Azerbaijan this process is also underway and Azerbaijan is implementing it on its own. The Armenian political elite has a habit - they are used to always do everything for free. They always count on outside help," political analyst Tofig Abbasov told Report.

According to him, the habit of " begging for money " has become part of the political culture of the Armenian elite, "they cry all the time, try to put pressure on some weaknesses of their partners, seek relief, in order to get the necessary funds."

The political scientist added that, in his opinion, Washington’s plan to slash foreign aid (USAID financial assistance program) has not political, but rather economic motivation. "Donald Trump cuts off all the funds that the Americans allocated to third countries through one channel or another," T. Abbasov said.

He pointed out that today Yerevan should not think about resuming financial assistance from outside, including that intended for mine clearance of the occupied Azerbaijani territories in Karabakh, but should think about how to "clear the political field."

"But this field - the political one - is mined by Armenia. It cannot find a decent format for the implementation of plans, it cannot work and actively interfere with other countries, especially with neighbors, so that they could fully implement the neighborhood policy, the policy of economic construction, and active integration," the expert said.

Political scientist Tofig Abbasov

"The habit of begging for money has become part of the political culture of the Armenian elite".

Tofiq Abbasov

Politoloq &

"We know that American congressmen and senators are actively lobbying for the interests of Armenian organizations, and through them the separatist Karabakh. Any help always causes some bad consequences, because everyone gets used to better and faster, especially Armenians. I would like to remind the famous expression that has already become winged of the chansonnier, the late Charles Aznavour, when he once again stumbled upon the insistent requests of Armenia in the time of Serzh Sargsyan to help them, he replied that will you someday learn how to work yourself to earn money, it may be time to break the habit of our loans, our help, our tranches. The worst tragedy is that Armenia calmly devours all these funds, and gives nothing in return. There are no prerequisites for the Armenians to learn how to work themselves, "the political scientist noted.

"More recently, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan somewhere abroad met with local businessmen of Armenian origin who are interested in the situation in Armenia itself, in Nagorno-Karabakh. He asked them persistently to invest in the Armenian economy and even in Nagorno-Karabakh. They told they were ready to invest in gambling, but not in some enterprises. Gambling is business that allows you to withdraw your profits and money at any time. That is, Armenia is worrying so much for other businessmen, even Armenians living abroad, and gives the impression of an unstable, dangerous country that investors do not want to invest in the real sector of the country.

Expert Ilgar Velizade

"The separatists are trying to improve their deplorable social situation by plundering the natural wealth of these lands, cutting down forests, and farming in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, while they do not have the necessary human and financial resources, and therefore they have to turn to US assistance".

İlqar Vəlizadə

Политолог Ильгар Велизаде:

In turn, another expert Ilgar Velizade believes that the separatists today are aimed at cultivating agricultural land in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and in this case they need money to mine these territories, hence the dissatisfaction with the cessation of assistance.

"The separatists are trying to improve their deplorable social situation by plundering the natural wealth of these lands, cutting down forests, and farming in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, while they do not have the necessary human and financial resources, and therefore they have to turn to US assistance."

"When separatists talk about independence, they probably mean the most self-sufficient existence or the availability of sufficient resources to realize this very right to independence.

However, begging money from the side and being constantly dependent on external donors shows that there is no independence in country, at least economic. Such a paradoxical situation is created when on the one hand separatists talk about independence, and on the other hand sign their own insolvency and, in fact, admit their extreme dependence on external sources, which makes the very formulation of achieving independence practically illogical, " Velizade concluded.