After the Collapse of Artsakh, Can We Take Levon Ter-Petrosyan's Warning Seriously? - Narek Sargsyan

Member of the Armenian National Congress and violinist Narek Sargsyan wrote on his Facebook page: "But how? With Kocharian? With a murderer? With the author of March 1?" Many people are astonished by Ter-Petrosyan's actions who have learned about the bloody essence of Kocharian's regime from Ter-Petrosyan's speeches in 2007. I know that astonishment has a numbing quality. So numbing that some have even forgotten that Kocharian organized the "March 1" demonstrations primarily against Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his political team. Ter-Petrosyan was the first to witness and speak out about Kocharian's crimes and the dangers they posed.

Friends, if you think you know better than Ter-Petrosyan who Kocharian truly is, you are quite naive. No one knows more about Kocharian's true essence than the first president. Even I, as a mere activist of the Congress who never participated in any internal discussions, have stories about Kocharian's human depravity that many of you are unaware of. Just imagine how much Ter-Petrosyan knows.

Knowing all of this, what drove Ter-Petrosyan to make that proposal, knowing he would face insults, mockery, and slander from not only the gray masses but many of his own supporters? This is not a difficult question. It's a simple question. What prompted Ter-Petrosyan to make this proposal was the same impetus that led him to write the "War and Peace" article in 1997. What prompted him to agree to yield 5 regions and sign a peace treaty was the danger looming over Armenia and Artsakh.

To further dispel your astonishment, remember how many times and under what circumstances Ter-Petrosyan has met with Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan over the last 20 years. Let me remind you: after leaving the presidency, Ter-Petrosyan spoke with Kocharian for the first time after October 27, 1999, when Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and National Assembly President Karen Demirchyan were assassinated. He called for unity around Kocharian. Why? Because he didn’t know who Kocharian was? No, it was because there was a serious threat from Azerbaijan's military aggression, and the Armenian leadership was decapitated.

When did he next meet with Serzh Sargsyan? On April 4, 2016, during wartime, when we first suffered territorial losses in Artsakh and had incurred over a hundred casualties in just a couple of days, with a danger once again hanging over the country. And later, in 2020, during the 44-day war, when the existence of Armenia and Artsakh was at stake. Keep in mind that after the revolution, Ter-Petrosyan met with Pashinyan—the same Pashinyan who had insulted and slandered him in the harshest terms regarding Lavrov's proposed resolution to the Artsakh issue, which, without any casualties, would have allowed us to retain not only Artsakh but also Lachin and Karvachar. In fact, he labeled that plan a "Conspiracy." And note that Ter-Petrosyan initiated all these meetings, without exception.

If you do not understand Ter-Petrosyan's proposal and are surprised, it means that you do not comprehend what danger Armenia will face if Pashinyan remains in office after June 20. Let me clarify: Pashinyan is a defeated leader. Whether Armenia wants it or not, it will soon be signing interstate agreements—agreements of the century, the essence of which I have discussed in recent days. Under Pashinyan's premiership, Armenia will be burdened with whatever they wish, the consequences of which will be borne not only by our generation but also by future generations. Pashinyan is not adequate. Pashinyan does not know how to negotiate. Pashinyan is disconnected from reality. I believe that three years of mock legal proceedings and the lost Artsakh are sufficient suffering for every Armenian to understand that Pashinyan cannot be trusted with the country, especially under conditions where fateful agreements with long-term implications are anticipated.

Is it not clear that no one will negotiate with Pashinyan? Texts will be sent to him, and he will be told to sign. And Pashinyan will sign. He cannot fail to sign. Just as he signed the November 9 text, he will sign this one as well. In Pashinyan's case, Armenia's future will be decided by Russia and Azerbaijan. This is the tragic reality. I say this with great sorrow. As one of the most active participants in the revolution and a supporter of Pashinyan, this is my personal tragedy. No matter what Pashinyan does, the consequences will be borne by our generations. Pashinyan has already destroyed Artsakh with his inadequate behavior, and this is irreversible. Tomorrow, if Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan find a way for, say, Meghri to become a neutral zone, Pashinyan will sign under that paper. And that too will be irreversible.

If anyone thinks I am exaggerating, remember that in 2012, Pashinyan left the ANC, claiming that Levon Ter-Petrosyan was cooperating with Tsarukyan. Then he himself cooperated with Tsarukyan. He then declared that yielding 5 regions was treason, yet he yielded 8-9 regions. Is this not a trial in another form?

This is what Ter-Petrosyan warns about. After the collapse of Artsakh and the national humiliation, can we at least take a moment to be serious and take Levon Ter-Petrosyan's warning into consideration? If we can, then let us be serious and take his words into account."