Protests in Yerevan - attempt to implement 24-year-old scenario

The Armenian economy is in stagnation, army is demoralized, the society is split. The country is engulfed in spontaneous protests. All this is reminiscent of the events that took place 24 years ago. In 1998, the then president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan accepted the option proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group for a “step-by-step solution” to the issue of withdrawing from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. However, on February 3, 1998, then Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan, Minister of Defense Vazgen Sargsyan, Minister of Internal Affairs and National Security Serzh Sargsyan staged protests in Armenia and forced Levon Ter-Petrosyan to resign. Robert Kocharyan came to power. In 2008, Ter-Petrosyan ran for presidency again, but lost the election. He later accused the authorities of rigging the voting results, and his associates took to the streets. On March 1, the Armenian authorities used force against peaceful demonstrators. As a result, Kocharyan brought his protege, Serzh Sargsyan, to power. In one of his articles, Ter-Petrosyan noted that Vazgen Sargsyan realized the mistake he made in 1998 and advocated a phased solution to the Karabakh issue.

Azerbaijan has been waiting for a peaceful solution to the conflict for almost 30 years, but, without any results, had to resort to force in response to the numerous provocations of the Armenian side. As a result, Armenia was forced to sign an act of surrender. Now the Armenian opposition, which took to the streets of Yerevan, includes opponents of the gradual return of Azerbaijani lands in 1998, the organizers of the bloody terror in the parliament building in October 1999, the instigators of the March 2008 events. These are Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan and the Republican Party headed by him, Artur Vanetsyan and the Dashnaks. Unfortunately, these forces make up the "political elite" in Armenia. With their way of thinking and revanchist statements, they lead Armenia to an inevitable abyss, having failed to learn the lessons from what is happening in the region and the world.

It's common knowledge that from now on the agenda won't include such issues as the "OSCE Minsk Group", "conflict", "status". Now the topics of the negotiation process include the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Armenia. Regular meetings of the parties are devoted to this. Thus, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, met in Brussels with Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia. The meeting was attended by EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar. The previous meeting of high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan and Armenia - Hikmat Hajiyev and Armen Grigoryan - took place in Brussels on March 30 with the participation of Special Representative of the European Union for the South Caucasus. On May 3, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Brice Roquefeuil, Ambassador of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic for the Eastern Partnership. The parties discussed the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and steps taken in this direction. In particular, an exchange of views took place on the state of implementation of the agreements reached following the Brussels meeting.

Meanwhile, Vienna has hosted a meeting between Turkish representative Serdar Kilic and Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Ruben Rubinyan. The parties agreed to intensify negotiations to speed up the process of normalizing bilateral relations. This is the third meeting between the special representatives. The US, UK and European Union welcome steps taken in this direction.

Against the background of these processes in the region, the actions and demands of the opposition forces in Armenia look very ridiculous. The oppositionists are misleading the public of their country, trying to convince Armenian people that the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and Turkiye is impossible. At the same time, scenarios of 24 years ago were put into play. At the forefront of the movement are those who supported Kocharyan in February 1998. The leading Russian official mass media cover "actions of the opposition" with great zeal. It seems that these forces are the patriots, the guardians of Armenia. In fact, obvious attempts are being made to overthrow Nikol Pashinyan and bring to power more loyal Artur Vanetsyan, a graduate of Russia’s National Security Service.

Apparently, Moscow is trying to establish sole control over the processes of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Turkiye and Armenia. In addition, a strategic dialogue between the US and Armenia took place on May 2-3. Yerevan continues to root its foreign policy towards the West. Without a doubt, this is not to the liking of Russia. And again, attempts are being made to play the Karabakh card, but the situation is not the same.

The Karabakh conflict as such sank into oblivion after the triumphant victory of Azerbaijan in the Patriotic War. The scenario has become obsolete, but the Armenian oppositionists, unwilling put up with the state of affairs, draw in their imagination the images and dreams so desired by their hearts. Without the puppeteers, inspirers and sponsors of the 24-year-old events in Armenia, perhaps the current bloody events in Ukraine would not have happened...