Armenia must repent before Azerbaijani people, Russian expert says
Caliber.Az talks to Ruslan Aysin

INTERVIEWS  28 September 2023 - 17:31

Caliber.Az had an interview with Ruslan Aysin, Kazan-based Russian political scientist, and editor-in-chief of the "Poistine" portal.

- What is your take on the process of reintegration of liberated Garabagh into the legal, economic and social space of Azerbaijan?

- I think official Baku is carrying out very competent systematic work to build up its own infrastructure in the liberated territories, especially now, when the long-awaited integration of Garabagh has become an impetus for these territories to receive additional development. It is no secret that during the Armenian occupation, these lands were in a deplorable state, the Armenians exploited these lands in a completely barbaric manner, turning them into a wasteland. In his time, the famous economist Mansur Olson put forward the concept of two types of bandit states, which are engaged in robbing the population and territories: the first type simply comes to a foreign territory, plunders it and leaves again, and the second type is the type of settled robbers, "stationary bandits", who come to a foreign land, establish their unjust power and terrorise and exploit the population. Since it is not their land, they consider the people and territories exclusively as a source of enrichment. In this sense, Armenian occupants acted as these stationary bandits.

But Baku, despite all the opposition from the outside, despite the fact that the Armenian lobby used all its leverage, its media artillery in Russia, France and other countries, demonstrated that Azerbaijan is a modern country, which is responsible for all its words and deeds. Most importantly, it showed that it cares about people since all Armenians were given guarantees of full integration if they accepted Azerbaijani citizenship. Indeed, in the three years since the end of the 44-day victorious war, a very serious basis has been created for the establishment of life and work in the Garabagh region.

Armenia is a bankrupt country. I'd like to single out an interesting point here. No matter how paradoxical it may sound, but Armenia's defeat gives it a chance to shed all these mythical "covers", abandon its aggressive policy and begin normalisation with its neighbours. Armenia has no other options.

Armenians have demonstrated that they do not fit into the modern civilisational patterns, that in times when the architecture of international relations is being built in a new way, they have ended up on the wayside of history. In this respect, as I have already said, defeat can be a healing, cleansing injection for them. Because if they continue to play offended and shout about the "genocide" of 1915, on which they have been speculating for over a hundred years, they will not get far. Armenia with all its actions and its blatant hypocrisy simply forced Baku to retaliate, because while recognising the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, it did everything to retain the captured lands. There is such a specific schizophrenia - to recognise Garabagh as part of Azerbaijan and at the same time shout that these lands are Armenian.

I am very fond of the well-known concept of "one nation - two states". This is actually a very important message because it speaks to and directly fulfils the aspirations of the greater Turkic world for integration. Both Türkiye and Azerbaijan show that this integration is not a mythical tomorrow, but it is being built right now before our eyes. And this has inspired and transformed people in many ways. And I would say it has changed them spiritually because we sincerely rejoice at the victory of the Azerbaijani people and accept it as our own. I was acquainted with many famous Azerbaijanis who in the early, mid-90s bore this tragedy with pain in their hearts. This is the tragedy of Khojaly, the loss of Garabagh, and other Azerbaijani districts occupied by the Armenian military. But they believed that sooner or later historical justice would prevail.

Here the following point is interesting: the Armenian diaspora, which was one of the strongest, along with the Jewish, Italian, and Irish diasporas, has now shown that it is politically bankrupt. Of course, they can brag that they have Kim Kardashian or Margarita Simonyan - famous but absolutely toxic people. But another thing is how they are perceived by the international public. And it doesn't perceive them in any way. Armenian propagandists in the Kremlin are generally perceived by the world as international criminals. This is not accidental. It is representatives of Armenian nationality who for some reason became the face of Russian media propaganda, they also occupied financial posts, they simply robbed the people, and now they speak on behalf of the Russian people, pitting them against the Ukrainian people - these are all kinds of Simonyans, Keosayans, Kurginians, Baghdasaryans...

- Can we say that the world community is seriously tired of Armenian fakes and myths about the "genocide" and the distortion of the situation in the region?

- Armenians have indeed managed to create a fairly stable myth about "genocide". Although all historians say that there was no genocide. Moreover, there are many historical facts and documents testifying to the atrocities of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. And what were the Dashnaks doing in Central Asia? Armenians in general excelled in bloody terror. The personality of Nzhdeh and his likes, whose monuments were erected everywhere, is worth mentioning. And when Armenians say that Azerbaijan allegedly wants to commit "genocide" against them, I would like to say only one thing - a thief can't hide his guilty feelings. Atrocities committed against peaceful Azerbaijanis in Khojaly, gory deeds carried out by Dashnaks more than a hundred years ago are crimes against humanity in their most blatant form.

We know that former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic was convicted for similar crimes, but, frankly speaking, compared to the atrocities committed by the Dashnaks, Milosevic's crimes are mere child's play. Someone can object that I am a bit biased, but as a historian, I say: there are no examples in the history of Azerbaijanis or Turks behaving in such a way.

It has been known since the times of Genghis Khan that Turks were tolerant to representatives of other nations, and other religions. This is a general fact. Moreover, in the 6th-10th centuries, the most powerful and largest power in Eastern Europe - Volga Bulgaria existed on the territory of my native Tatarstan. It was also the largest logistical hub of that era, which is why many travellers visited it: for example, Ibn Fadlan, a special envoy of the Baghdad Caliph. But what Armenians did do in Garabagh when they deliberately set up pigsties in Azerbaijani mosques? How can this be accepted at all? Or when Armenians opened and desecrated graves, how can one call such people?

- Recently you voiced the idea that Pashinyan, having waited for a pause in connection with the closure of the "artsakh" project, may still kick-start economic cooperation with Türkiye and Azerbaijan. How soon can this happen?

- I believe that Armenia has no other choice but to admit its defeat and repent before the Azerbaijani people, and then start building good-neighbourly relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Because both Azerbaijan and Türkiye have offered Armenia a whole package of infrastructure projects. Armenians will see advantages from this, they will finally be able to heal from their phantom pains. It is known from history that trade binds warring nations together.

Armenia does not belong to itself now, it is not a subject, but an object, which was used in the interests of Russia, France and other countries. Armenians were used, their suzerains pitted them against Azerbaijan and Türkiye. When Armenia realises that they are the very instrument of manipulation, played like a rag doll by one very powerful and furry hand, maybe then a certain period of Armenian rethinking will come.

I am afraid that Armenia, if it does not change, will run in a vicious circle, according to the formula of "uroborus", a snake biting its tail, where Armenia will plunge into a nightmare of constant coups, and permanent chaos. It is Azerbaijan and Türkiye that are capable of giving Yerevan that very subjectivity, as they themselves are interested in Armenia being a full-fledged cooperative partner, not a partner dependent on someone else. While France and Russia, which seem to be the closest to Armenia, in reality, see it only as their puppet, an object for political games and external influences. So Armenia needs to start thinking about its future now, because tomorrow may be too late.

Caliber.Az