In his haste to respond to detractors, Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Eduard Nalbandian, Monday, speaking for the first time since the two-day Moscow presidential meetings, attempted to clarify Armenia’s position on matters of urgent importance. However, his statements raised more questions than provided answers.
One of the points Nalbandian attempted to clarify was refuting statements by his Azeri counterpart regarding the existence of a timetable for the withdrawal from the liberated territories surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. “I can tell you that this issue has not been discussed at the Moscow meeting,” insisted Nalbandian.
What the foreign minister did not clarify is whether Armenia is engaged in any discussion related to withdrawal from any territory surrounding Karabakh. Last week when Nalbandian was in Stepanakert for talks with Karabakh leaders, he told a press conference that Armenia has always insisted on ensuring there is land corridor connecting Armenia and Karabakh.
Furthermore, the foreign minister added that without the consent of the people and leadership of Karabakh no agreement will be signed. Will the leadership and people Karabakh ever consent to conceding any territory that was liberated during the war?
Then there is the other elephant in the room: the so-called “roadmap” agreement announced on April 22.
Nalbandian on Monday said that Armenia has not agreed to the formation of a historical commission to study the Genocide, but almost in the same breath detailed the formation of an inter-governmental commission, whose sub-commissions will be tasked to “deal with various issues, including the issue of the restoration of mutual trust between the two peoples.”
“The restoration of mutual trust” is a loaded statement given that even in this climate of détente official Ankara continues to place preconditions. As recently as Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey-Armenia borders will not open until the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
Furthermore, in pursuing this agenda, official Yerevan has shown its willingness to compromise on critical principles. First, there was the complete disregard for the fact that Turkey closed its border and blockaded Armenia [the word blockade seems to have disappeared from Armenia’s vernacular], so President Serzh Sarkisian’s initial gesture for rapprochement was ill-conceived; second was the “roadmap” announcement, which came two days before April 24; and, third is the nebulous posturing of the Armenian authorities regarding the historical commission.
Evidently, putting those who dare to disagree with Yerevan’s policies in their place is more of a priority to Nalbandian than providing an honest and comprehensive assessment of realities that will impact all Armenians.
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian is just carrying out his
masters orders namely Serzh Sarkisian’s,Sadly don’t ever expect
anything positive under the leadership of Serzh Sarkisian,it will be
all negative as he will sooner or later sell Armenia and Artsakh down
the river,he is totally untrustworthy,slippery,and has no diplomatic
skills,all he is interested is to save his own skin and stay in power
after the scandalous,murderous, and fraudulent presidential elections
last year,he has no legitimacy left in the eyes of the majority of the
Armenian nation,I am nor even mentioning the rampant corruption in his
administration,or the high profile numerous unsolved murders,which
leads me to believe that the contract killers orders were given within
government circles.He has to do what he is told by his foreign masters
as they hold his dirty dossier on him which makes dismal
reading,remember April 22 statement on the so called road map, by the
way Levon Ter Petrossian wont be any better either.
He needs to go and go fast if we want to save Armenia and
Artsakh,therefor all healthy Armenian parties must work together and
fast in order to get rid of this spent man.
We all had enough of this man.
…there is land corridor connecting Armenia and Karabakh.”
I think this statement tells everything. It implies that there would not be a land boarder between Armenia and Karabakh as it is now. There would be only a cooridor 2 feet wide so that only a bullet can go through. It imples that the liberated territory of Lochin will be returned to Azerbaijan. It imples that the Armenian military will be pulled out of the region. It also implies that Azerbaijan needs this coridor to reach Armenia by land. It means that soon second genocide will be on the way.
The good news is that I will not let this happen. Trust me!