Arguments and facts should not contradict each other On Nikol Pashinyan’s article

To be honest, I wanted to start my morning by reading something interesting and, preferably, reasonable, kind, and timeless. Yes, you guessed it absolutely right—I meant reading fiction, which I truly enjoy. But unfortunately, our desires do not always align with our opportunities. So instead, I ended up reading an article by Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with the somewhat clumsy title "On connection routes between Armenia and Azerbaijan."

In general terms, this article does have something in common with fiction—namely, artistic fabrication. And not of the highest quality, I must add. It all begins with a complaint (how could it be otherwise?) that Azerbaijan claims Armenia is not fulfilling its obligations, citing the obvious fact that communication channels between Armenia and Azerbaijan are closed. A fact—I won’t even argue. But then come the lamentations about how “Today, no transport or economic routes of Azerbaijan is open to Armenia or to those passing through Armenia, no road, no railway, no pipeline, no electricity line, no cable.” This is also absolutely true. However, let me ask: who, in fact, is to blame for all of this?

Had they been good neighbours, they would have had pipelines (both oil and gas), cables (such as the Black Sea energy project), railways (all the way to Kars), and much more. But no, back in 1987, certain individuals decided they wanted a collective farm disco. And a collective farm disco is quite an event—there’s about an equal chance of getting beaten up or ending up pregnant. And, mind you, someone managed to make full use of both opportunities, ultimately reaping all the consequences. Except, of course, for the railways, pipelines, power lines, and cables.

Pashinyan claims that "Armenia has never undertaken any obligation, written or oral, or agreed or even hinted that it might agree to any limitation of its sovereignty, jurisdiction, or territorial integrity. Including on the issue of communication from western Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic via the territory of the Republic of Armenia."

On this point, the editorial team categorically disagrees. The Trilateral Statement, which bears the signature of Armenia’s Prime Minister, explicitly states that all economic and transport links in the region will be unblocked. Armenia guarantees the security of transport connections between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to ensure the unrestricted movement of citizens, vehicles, and goods in both directions.

As for the so-called "The Lachin corridor (5km wide), which shall provide a connection of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia,"—there is no longer any Lachin Corridor. What exists now is the Lachin Border Checkpoint. Moreover, there is no "Nagorno-Karabakh" anymore either—there is the Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan. So, if at some point, after signing a peace treaty, Azerbaijan and Armenia conclude a trade agreement, then goods and people from Armenia to Azerbaijan will pass precisely through the Lachin Border Checkpoint.

Although, to be perfectly honest, I fail to see what kind of Armenian goods might interest us or what benefit such a trade agreement would bring. That being said—ensure and do not obstruct the free passage of citizens and cargo between different parts of Azerbaijan. No one will be asked for documents there simply because we will not allow it. By what right? By the right of the victor. History has never seen a precedent where the defeated party could object to the victor—this contradicts not only tradition but also basic logic.

"Azerbaijan also states that if Armenia does not provide a route to Nakhchivan, they will ensure the connection between western Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We have no objections to this—God forbid—this is a matter of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan and their decision."

For this, we must express our deepest gratitude—the ball of our “thank you” will endlessly roll through the labyrinth of our own appreciation.

Let's start with the fact that we have not fought a war with Iran, and the connection between western Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through Iranian territory will be regulated by a corresponding agreement between Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Furthermore, transit through Iran does not in any way negate our right to the Zangezur Corridor—again, on an extraterritorial basis and by the right of the victor.

Moreover, I feel obliged to remind that each subsequent proposal we make contains slightly less favourable terms than the previous one. So, if I were Armenia, I would not forget the recent past. And forgetting the right of the victor? That would be an unforgivable recklessness.

Allow me to give a brief example of how good neighbours—those without territorial claims against each other—actually behave. On 15 April 2024, the President of Türkiye signed a document simplifying customs procedures with Azerbaijan and Georgia for railway transport. In other words, freight transportation along the railway route passing through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye will now be as seamless as possible.

Who benefits from this? We all do—Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye (listed in alphabetical order). And who, once again, has been left out of an international infrastructure project? The answer is obvious. While we are enjoying the benefits of regional cooperation, someone else prefers to chew on misery in proud isolation. Well, to each their own—everyone has their own culinary preferences.

You see... A strike must always be timely, unexpected, and aimed at the most sensitive spot. And the most sensitive spot isn’t always the groin or the solar plexus—it’s often the pocket. No Black Sea cables, no railways, no pipelines. And let’s be honest—Armenia needs the unblocking of regional communications far more than Azerbaijan does. We can afford to wait a little longer, if only because what is destined to ripen and fall… has almost ripened.