Nikol Is Not De Gaulle, and Artsakh Is Not Algeria—It Won't Work, Political Scientist

If it turns out that the Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, and the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Məmmədyarov, are discussing the status of Artsakh, it means that the ruling party has deceived the voters before the elections.

This was stated by political scientist Stepan Danielyan in a Facebook post.

The post specifically mentions:

“Nikol Pashinyan’s pre-election thesis regarding Artsakh was that Armenia would not negotiate on behalf of Artsakh. Many voters made their choice based on this thesis. Now, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan continue their negotiations and discuss the Artsakh issue. What they are discussing remains unclear. If it turns out that the issue of Artsakh’s status is being discussed, then it means that the ruling party has deceived voters before the elections. If the current government changes its position on the Artsakh issue, then early parliamentary elections should be held with this new thesis prior to the elections. It won't work to escape through a referendum; this is not the issue. The issue of Artsakh, due to its significance, differs from many other unfulfilled promises (Electoral Code, Law on Political Parties, amendments to the Constitution, withdrawal from the EEU, filling the budget with embezzled funds, etc.). It cannot be said that the situation has changed in this regard.

Additionally, De Gaulle deceived the French before elections, promising that France would not withdraw from Algeria; however, after winning the elections, he did the opposite. Therefore, Nikol is not De Gaulle, and Artsakh is not Algeria. It won't work.

Moreover, he fundamentally does not use the name ‘Artsakh,’ referring instead to ‘Karabakh,’ which means he does not recognize the expression of Artsakh’s parliament. In other words, he is already abandoning his thesis that he would respect the decision of the Artsakh people.”

It should be noted that the meeting of Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Elmar Məmmədyarov is scheduled for today.