But is Armenian society truly prepared to accept the current realities in the region, especially when, on November 1, National Assembly member Anna Grigoryan declared that “Azerbaijan will try to cleanse itself as a genocidal state at COP29 and wash its hands of ethnic cleansing, which must not be allowed”? She insisted that “any international partner heading to Baku must be clearly aware they are entering a city where people are held hostage solely for being Armenian.” She also called on Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to demand the release of “our prisoners of war” as a precondition for Armenian participation in Baku events.
In this view, Armenian parliamentarians regard war criminals as “prisoners of war” and nothing else. Moreover, some members of the Armenian parliament label Azerbaijan as a “genocidal” state. Astonishingly, Armenia—a nation responsible for genocide, urban destruction, cultural devastation, and ecological harm on historically Azerbaijani lands—presents a completely different narrative, including tales of so-called “ethnic cleansing.”
But are the deputies the only ones fueling this anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric? On November 4, it was reported that the so-called Tatoyan Foundation for Law and Justice was “working extensively to expose Azerbaijan’s lies about Armenia and Artsakh and to document violations of Armenian people’s rights” by “documenting cases of Azerbaijani policies of hatred and racism against Armenians.” They claim these “documents are submitted to various countries, international courts, and media,” aiming to “effectively counter Azerbaijani disinformation and defend the rights and interests of Armenia and the Armenian people” and to “show the world the truth.” And all of this is stated without a shred of shame.
Turning the page, we encounter comments from “Azerbaijan expert” Tatevik Ayrapetyan, who claims that official Baku continues a “consistent demonization of the West.” Political analyst Suren Surenyants chimes in, asserting that Azerbaijan only participates in [peace] negotiations to “maintain balance.”
All these deceitful Armenian claims are circulated by various Armenian media outlets, spreading across social networks and fostering hostility toward Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in Armenia. This trend is undoubtedly supported by Paris, with the French ambassador to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies, shaping an anti-Azerbaijani agenda in the neighboring country. At the end of October, Decottignies made unsubstantiated claims that “part of Armenia has been occupied by Azerbaijan, creating severe hardships for residents.” Moreover, he spoke of a “real danger of repeated attacks,” stating that “people cannot even visit their relatives’ graves.” Naturally, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted these fabrications, emphasizing France’s lack of interest in stable and genuine peace in the region and its role in escalating tensions in the South Caucasus. Otherwise, the French ambassador would not have openly called the European mission, engaged in espionage activities in the region, a “guarantee of security” for Armenians. Consequently, Paris pushed for “mission expansion, nearly doubling its personnel.”
Amid the wave of revanchist ideas in Armenia, none of the so-called protectors of Armenian interests, who position themselves as advocates of justice, seem to question how, according to the World’s Top Exports portal, Armenia recorded one of the highest export growth rates globally in 2023—nearly 60%, reaching $8.3 billion. Similarly, none of the biased powers have raised concerns over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s observation that trade turnover between Russia and Armenia reached $7.4 billion in 2023. In the first half of 2024 alone, this figure grew “2.5 times, exceeding $8.3 billion.” Putin noted that, “if we continue at this rate,” trade could reach $14-16 billion by the end of the year. Clearly, Armenia is bypassing anti-Russian sanctions—doesn’t that say something?
Thus, considering even the minimal facts presented above, it’s difficult to believe National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan’s claims about Armenia’s “unwavering commitment to signing a peace agreement and moving forward.” Without disavowing the revanchist ideas gaining traction in Armenia, which encourage new stages of aggressive intentions against Azerbaijan, and without amending their constitution that essentially calls for the same, it’s simply impossible to claim a genuine desire for peace.
Teymur Atayev
Translated from minval.az
