Politician: Impossible to achieve peace through 'political begging'
Opposition politician Eduard Sharmazanov claims former Armenian leaders managed to secure favorable terms in negotiations with Azerbaijan over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
In a social media post on Friday, Sharmazanov, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), cited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying on 10 January 2023 that “a peace plan drafted by the OSCE Minsk Group proposed that Armenians retain control of the regions of Kelbajar and Lachin.”
“[Former President] Serzh Sargsyan and [former Foreign Minister] Edvard Nalbandyan negotiated terms ensuring that not only Shushi, Hadrut, Askeran, Martakert, Martuni, Chartar and Stepanakert, but also the regions of Lachin and Kelbajar would remain under Armenian control,” Sharmazanov wrote, accusing the current Armenian government of mishandling the Artsakh peace negotiations and adopting a conciliatory stance toward Azerbaijan.
“Peace cannot be achieved through political begging,” the politician added.