Will Pashinyan Replace the Foreign Minister? Moscow Statement Displeases Him.

On November 18, Ara Aivazyan was appointed as Foreign Minister, but he has not yet completed his 100 days in office. However, there are already rumors suggesting dissatisfaction with him, speculating that he might be dismissed or that he might resign himself. No reasons have been publicly stated for this speculation.

A well-informed source from the Foreign Ministry disclosed that disagreements between the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister began last year, particularly after Aivazyan's working visit to Moscow on December 6 to meet with Lavrov. On December 7, Aivazyan and Lavrov held a joint press conference where they made statements and answered journalists' questions.

It turns out that Aivazyan's remarks regarding Turkey did not sit well with Nikol Pashinyan. Upon Aivazyan's return, Pashinyan reportedly had a very sharp discussion with him, expressing serious concerns about his comments regarding Turkey.

We reviewed the recording of the press conference. Aivazyan, in response to a question from a Russian journalist about repairing relations with Turkey, mentioned the genocide of 1915 and Turkey's political stance. He discussed Turkey's continued aggressive policy towards Armenia, pointed out the failure of football diplomacy due to Turkey's actions, and addressed its significantly negative role in the recent war, during which it directly managed Azerbaijan's military operations, supplied terrorists, and thwarted attempts at a ceasefire.

Aivazyan concluded by stating that Ankara must restore the confidence of Armenia and the international community in order for inter-state relations to be on the table. There was no false statement or exaggeration in his remarks. It remains to be seen why these comments have displeased Pashinyan.