Armenian actions are not 'visible' because of Western double standards, UK researcher says

Armenian actions are not “visible” because of Western double standards, British researcher Taras Kuzio, professor of political sciences at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, told Report.

"For example, France supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity but not Azerbaijan’s. France opposes Russia’s territorial revanchism towards Ukraine but condones Armenia’s towards Garabagh," the expert explained.

According to him, the core issue is that most Armenians cannot accept the permanent “loss” of Karabakh to Azerbaijan: "They, therefore, want Garabagh to remain “independent” and outside Baku’s control indefinitely as a frozen conflict and guarded by Russian “peacekeepers.” Their ideal is for Garabagh to be a forever frozen conflict under Russian protection like Georgia’s South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Moldova’s Transniestr, and Ukraine’s Donbas.

Armenia has not abided by the November 2020 ceasefire agreement to disband illegal military units in Garabagh. At the same time, Yerevan is desperate because Russian power and influence is declining in Eurasia because of its military defeats in Ukraine. In addition, the Russian peacekeeper mandate has only 2 more years until Baku most likely refuses to extend its 5-year term."

"The choice for Armenians is between the forever frozen conflict scenario protected by Russian “peacekeepers” or an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty that recognizes each other’s territorial integrity and Yerevan accepts Garabagh is part of Azerbaijan. The former scenario is supported by Russia and the latter scenario is supported by the EU and US. Most Armenians prefer the first scenario because Armenian leaders, such as Prime Minister Pashinyan, have not had the courage to promote and lobby the positive implications of a peace treaty that ends three decades of conflict," Kuzio concluded.