Demanding Karabakh Armenians' return is not an option Polite requests only

The so-called "representatives," or more accurately, the outright impostors posing as "legislators" and "executives" of the non-existent "Republic of Artsakh," met on August 22, with members of some so-called "international committee"—again, concerning "Artsakh." The members of this (and I’m making a Herculean effort not to laugh) committee even presented a report and gave an account of their supposed work.

Regarding the "work done," we would certainly like to hear more details, but as of now, no information about this "work" has been made available to the editorial office—though it’s only a matter of time. According to committee coordinator Vartan Oskanian, the committee has held dozens of meetings abroad with Armenian political figures and representatives of various international organizations, including the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. The discussions covered some rather amusing topics, such as the protection of the rights of a vaguely defined people of an even more obscure "Artsakh," and the protection and collective aspiration for the return of the same "people of Artsakh" with "international guarantees and the right to live safely, securely, and with dignity in their homeland."

We wouldn’t want to disappoint the "representatives," "legislators," "executives," and various international figures, including the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia… Or actually, yes, we do want to disappoint them. Despite their collective efforts being thwarted by the Azerbaijani armed forces last September, we’re more than willing to disillusion them further. The fact is, this "people" has no rights and will not have any, the idea of returning to Azerbaijan should be forgotten forever, and the notion of international guarantees isn’t even worth mentioning. Why? Simply because the restoration of territorial integrity and the punishment of separatists is, first and foremost, an internal matter for Azerbaijan. And secondly… Secondly, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Internal Service Code does not contain a single word about "returns," "rights," or "guarantees." It’s not specified, and therefore, it is not permitted. Nevertheless, the representatives can continue to meet and even form organizations and marry if they wish, but all of this will have to be done outside Azerbaijan. Because that’s the way it is.

As you might have guessed, it’s been quite a lively week. And of course, the Dashnaktsutyun party had to make its presence felt, because while cities might manage without a wise man, villages simply can’t do without a fool. This time, it was none other than Hakob Bagratuni himself—a member of the Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun, a parliamentarian, and a political leader of the Armenian community in Lebanon. Hakob Bagratuni is a prominent and respected figure, not just anyone. Additionally, he serves on Lebanon’s Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents, MPs, and Ministers.

In May 2022, the so-called "Speaker of Parliament" of "Artsakh" suggested that Akop Bagratuni establish a "Friendship Circle" between "Artsakh" and Lebanon. This circle was supposed to include "MPs," current and former "ministers," and "representatives from other sectors." While I’m not sure who these "representatives from other sectors" were meant to be, it’s clear that the "circle" never came to fruition—much like how beautiful roses eventually wither.

This remarkable and even somewhat distinguished individual shared his undoubtedly valuable opinion on the negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He said: "The issue isn’t about concessions; concessions are important in any negotiation process. The problem is that negotiations shouldn’t be about making concessions; they should be conducted on an equal footing, as they were before."

Allow me to correct this esteemed figure respectfully: there can be no equality between the victor and the vanquished, it contradicts common sense, Azerbaijan's objectives, and the laws of nature. Traditionally, the defeated, if not dragged behind the victor’s chariot with a rope around their neck (which, in my view, would make for a dramatic performance), will, with marked deference, listen to the victor’s demands and then, looking crestfallen, scurry off like a nimble jerboa to carry out the instructions. Or like a quick piglet. All of this is to avoid the prospect of arriving in a chariot with a rope.

I would also like to highlight a statement from Ishkhan Saghatelyan, who is not only a member of the Dashnaktsutyun party but also a representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun’s Supreme Body and a parliamentarian from the "Armenia" bloc. He said, and I apologize for the pun, “The delegation from Armenia should not participate in COP29; if participation occurs, the issue of Armenian prisoners should be raised” (stylistic quirks of the author preserved). He then added that "it is necessary to intensify international pressure on Azerbaijan in the lead-up to COP29, particularly concerning the immediate release of the military-political leadership of Karabakh and other individuals detained in Baku."

It feels like we’ve been begging Armenia to join COP29 for ages, and in a rather degrading way. Yes, it feels like we're begging. If they don’t want to participate, that’s their choice; their refusal won’t affect our plans or the event itself. As for the "immediate release of the Karabakh military-political leadership," that’s something to forget about. Based on experience, "international pressure on Azerbaijan" isn’t very effective and, to be honest, it doesn’t work at all—there might be some protests, but they will soon fade away.

Regarding the release, we’ll first need to wait for a court decision, which, although humane, is notoriously inflexible, and then we might have to wait 25 years or more. It’s simply not going to happen any other way, and let’s not forget about the chariot.

The article was originally written in Russian