Pashinyan's show – Armenia’s regional destructive activity

The Armenian government and the group, called the opposition, are again trying to mislead the international community.

This is evidenced by the April 5 rally in Yerevan. The protest rally was staged in Yerevan yesterday with the participation of Armenia’s ex-president Serzh Sargsyan before the Brussels meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders on April 6.

Some media outlets in Armenia have already tried to present this as “solidarity” between the authorities and the opposition. So what does the theatrical performance, staged by the Armenian authorities, really serve for? Obviously, the Armenian authorities are thereby trying to present the Armenian society as consolidated, speaking from a unified position. However, the absence of Armenia’s ex-presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Robert Kocharyan at the rally confirms the illusory nature of the efforts of the Armenian mouthpiece.

Usually, the authorities stop this kind of opposition protest, but this time no preventive measures were taken. On the contrary, the government allocated a venue for the rally. Apparently, by doing so, the head of government is trying to avoid fulfilling his obligations under the tripartite agreement, passing off all this as the desire of the people, and once again demonstrating his commitment to a subversive, destabilizing position in the region. The rally, sanctioned by Pashinyan on the eve of the Brussels meeting, is fueling tensions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. After condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine, Blinken urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to maintain restraint, reduce tensions and resume diplomatic talks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also held telephone conversations with President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The regional situation was on the agenda. Russia and the United States welcome the meeting in Brussels. However, the April 5 rally in Yerevan casts a shadow on the sincerity of the Armenian authorities. The participation in this rally of Kocharyan’s Hayastan bloc, Serzh Sargsyan, and the ex-director of the National Security Service of Armenia, Artur Vanetsyan, is also suspicious.

Armenia’s political ideologists and patrons build their existence and future on the so-called “Karabakh issue”. And again they are trying to play this card in the hope of disrupting the negotiations process to gain time. However, dragging out time is not in favor of Armenia, as it exacerbates its dependence on patrons. Armenia's revanchist attempts look completely out of place. It would be much more prudent to discuss the issues of delimitation and demarcation of state borders, the opening of communications, and the signing of a peace treaty. However, Nikol Pashinyan preferred another spectacle to divert attention from pressing issues and shrug off commitments under the tripartite agreement.

The April 5 rally is a manifestation of the aggressive position of Armenia. Without drawing conclusions from the 44-day war that has created new realities in the region, Pashinyan, like his predecessors, is trying to present himself as a “long-suffering one”, but it is obvious that the world, tired of uncertainty and conflicts, is unlikely to be led by these games. Instead of getting used to reality, the Armenian authorities are talking about a far-fetched "humanitarian catastrophe" in Karabakh. How did the Russian peacekeepers temporarily stationed on the territory of Azerbaijan allow this "catastrophe"? It turns out that official Yerevan does not trust the Russian peacekeepers either.

Summarizing the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

- Pashinyan is trying to use the Karabakh issue to increase his authority in the country;

- The prime minister of Armenia is unable to fulfill promises in the social and economic sphere, and is trying to direct public opinion in a different direction;

- In order not to fulfill international obligations, the Armenian prime minister is trying to manipulate the "Armenian people";

- Pashinyan wants to prevent peace and security in the South Caucasus;

- There are attempts by the Armenian establishment to once again play the “Karabakh card”.

Dialogue is also important for strengthening trust between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Unfortunately, the position of Armenia and the rally, initiated by the authorities of the country, do not contribute to this at all.