Speaker Simonyan denies existence of any "Karabakh structure" in Armenia But facts prove the opposite

Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, Alen Simonyan, has publicly stated that there is no official “Karabakh structure” existing within Armenia.

“There is no Karabakh structure in Armenia,” Simonyan told journalists, according to Caliber.Az.

“No matter what, anything that could be called a structure cannot be more than an NGO. If it is, I demand that the relevant state authorities respond, because the Republic of Armenia is a state, and within a state, no other structure can exist, be recognised, or be tolerated by anyone,” he added.

However, despite this strong statement, numerous facts suggest that Armenia has not closed the chapter on Karabakh and continues to harbour territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

For instance, on May 21, remnants of the Karabakh separatists, who have found refuge in Armenia, held a “session” during which they elected a new “Speaker of Parliament.” This event took place in the centre of Yerevan with the tacit consent of the Armenian authorities.

Additionally, the Armenian government continues to protect the office of the former separatist Karabakh leadership in Yerevan, where its ex-leader Samvel Shahramanyan resides.

Ongoing court proceedings against members of the Karabakh leadership and Armenian generals, accused of “surrendering” Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, further indicate that official Yerevan, despite publicly recognising Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, does not relinquish its territorial claims and tacitly supports the separatists.

By Khagan Isayev