Your trusted source

Recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence is absolutely unacceptable because it is only aimed at Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence from Armenia as NKR became independent from Azerbaijan long ago, political scientist Armen Aghayan told reporters, referring to the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh’s recognition.

According to the expert, recognition of Artsakh’s independence is even in the interests of Azerbaijan, because after becoming independent from Armenia, Artsakh will become disputed territory.

“That wrongful policy was once forced upon us by Levon Ter-Petrosyan when the Armenian National Movement was the ruling party. Some months earlier, that policy was forced upon us by the leaders of Karabakh Committee, who after the adoption of the December 1, 1989 decision on reunification of Soviet Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh began to fight against the adoption of that decision,” said the political scientist.

Aghayan noted that Armenia was holding a referendum of independence and presidential elections, but the Armenian authorities of the time did not permit to open polling stations in Artsakh, although Artsakh had been part of Armenia for a year and a half.

“Artsakh was part of Armenia in all aspects. But as a war was approaching and Ter-Petrosyan’s administration was sure that we will lose the war, in order not to bear responsibility for that defeat, they wanted to get rid of that headache as soon as possible,” said the speaker.

According to him, if there hadn’t been the decision on separating Artsakh from Armenia, Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh would be perceived as an attack on Armenia, and in that case the victory in the war would be faster and with less losses. The responsibility for that decision lays not only on the Armenian National Movement, but also on the ARF Dashnaktsutyun and ARF representatives of that time in Artsakh.

“It is necessary to restore the constitutional right of the Armenian citizens living in Artsakh to participate in the state elections in Armenia, the right they have been deprived of since 1995 when that criminal decision was made. Artsakh is Armenia. More than 100,000 Armenian citizens live in Artsakh. They live in Armenia. Artsakh should be declared an integral part of Armenia,” said Armen Aghayan.