Pashinyan is unsatisfied with Russian peacekeepers on Azerbaijani soil
Russian experts disperse Yerevan's illusions

ANALYTICS  30 December 2022 - 15:23

Armenia has further stepped up the degree of conflict with Russia, as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is holding the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh accountable. While the Armenian premier’s tone usually sounded more pitiful and dissatisfied, it has now changed into demanding and peremptory. It seems that (Nikol) Vovayevich really wants to inflict more damage on Moscow by compromising the Russian peacekeepers in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region in order to replace them with some international contingent of peacekeeping forces. Pashinyan knows how to make use of a situation, he is no fool for calling foreigners to the territory of Azerbaijan.

Thus, at a governmental meeting, he called on the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh to provide a clear explanation of the situation on the Lachin road. According to him, “the Russian Federation has taken specific obligations to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh upon itself. The Russian Federation should explain its assessment of the situation, what its plan is and its road map for the recovery of traffic along the corridor”.

Pashinyan believes that if Russia, for objective or subjective reasons, cannot ensure security and stability in Karabakh, it "should initiate a discussion in the UN Security Council with the goal of receiving a UN mandate for the peacekeeping contingent or send an additional multinational peacekeeping contingent to Nagorno-Karabakh".

Moscow swiftly responded to Pashinyan’s attack. As the official Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said during a briefing, Russia has applied the entire set of trilateral agreements at the highest level to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. In Zakharova’s opinion, the trilateral statements at the level of the leaders of the countries constitute a reliable basis for advancing the process of settling relations between Yerevan and Baku.

“We take the allied obligations in the case of both, Armenia and Azerbaijan, into account. We, as a facilitator, have therefore consistently promoted a position that allows this function to be performed effectively. And I really hope that they are aware of this in Armenia”, the spokesperson said.

At the same time, Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan discussed the Lachin road in great lengths on December 27, as the Russian presidential press secretary Dmitriy Peskov’s told journalists. Russia is concerned about the tension in the region, and he noted that Russia will continue to promote the settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “The agreement of both Armenia and Azerbaijan is needed in order to give the Russian peacekeepers, that are stationed in Karabakh, a UN mandate, as well as the possible involvement of international forces”, said the Russian presidential press secretary.

Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on the Russian peacekeepers not fulfilling their tasks in Karabakh is puzzling to both, Russian experts as well as the country’s top political leadership. This was stated by Yevgeny Mikhailov, a Russian political scientist and expert on international conflicts.

In his opinion, it is thanks to the peacekeepers that the troubles created by the Armenian side are being eased, and the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly hinted at this while appreciating the role of the peacekeeping contingent.

“Nikol Pashinyan never gives random statements. This has recently become especially obvious after the regular visits being made to Yerevan by the heads of US intelligence services and their allies. We can draw obvious parallels in our case, after the meeting of the UN Security Council, where some Western partners of Yerevan attacked Baku and Moscow with accusations about the alleged non-compliance of both Azerbaijan and Russia. Afterward, we heard Pashinyan’s accusations against the peacekeepers.

I am not in favour of the unambiguous opinion that the ultimate crisis has come between Moscow and Yerevan. Undoubtedly, signs of it are present, but I would like to point out that Moscow has vast experience in both peace-making and the appeasement of its allies, which can’t make up their minds”, said the Russian political scientist.

In his opinion, Pashinyan is trying to sit on several chairs, “smiling at President Putin and at the same time groveling in front of Brussels and Washington”. There is no other explanation for the efforts of the Armenian leadership to replace the Russian peacekeepers with units of Western blue helmets. In this context, Yerevan is clearly acting according to the West’s plan to push Russia out of the South Caucasus.

"In any case, this will not happen. However, the provocative maneuvers of Yerevan, which uses the international situation and does not fulfill its obligations of November 2020, when it was Russia that saved Armenia from a complete defeat, brings Azerbaijan closer to gaining full control over the Karabakh territory, which will, as a minimum, result in the withdrawing of all illegal formations, and at the maximum the punishment for their crimes if the evidence is provided”, Mikhailov noted.

According to him, Baku does not hide its intentions of forcing Yerevan to fulfill its previous obligations and holds regular consultations with Moscow, which is the main guarantor of security in the region.

“In the meantime, in my opinion, both Baku and Moscow have to endure Pashinyan’s tricks, as he is now the only, more or less adequate, leader of Armenia, who has made commitments to both Moscow and Baku, yet has not fulfilled them due to the enormous influence of the Western countries on the domestic policy of the country”, Mikhailov stated.

According to another Russian political scientist, Doctor of historical sciences and Chief-Editor of the “Arkhont” magazine, Anton Bredikhin, Pashinyan’s statement is disgusting and contradicts the whole logic of building relations with Russia. And his daring to dictate his will to Russia is a challenge.

“Of course, he is trying to realize his wish - to introduce French and American troops in Karabakh and, accordingly, transfer the entire South Caucasus under the occupation of NATO countries. This is unacceptable, and here the positions of Azerbaijan and Russia align”, said Bredikhin.

He believes that Russia will respond to Pashinyan’s antics.

“The answer will be tough, and it will force Pashinyan to reject making such statements in the future”, concluded Bredikhin.

Caliber.Az