Lapshin on Nairi Hovhikyan's Statement: Was There Discussion About Surrendering Artsakh with Thousands of Casualties?

Blog writer Alexander Lapshin commented on the statements made by expert Nairi Hovhikyan on his Facebook page, noting: "Friends, I am being asked to comment on journalist Nairi Hovhikyan's statements regarding my conversation with Nikol Pashinyan and the former press secretary of the Prime Minister (now the Armenian ambassador in Kyiv) Vladimir Karapetyan:

As far as I can understand from the translation of Nairi's Armenian article, it mentions that I allegedly discussed plans to surrender Artsakh with Nikol Pashinyan and Vladimir Karapetyan, and that Karapetyan supposedly stated that 'if a few thousand Armenians die, it is not terrible,' and that if I do not stop criticizing Azerbaijan, it would be better if I do not come to Armenia. If I did not thoroughly understand the essence of the text, I apologize; I translated it with the help of Google Translator.

So, three years ago, Nairi Hovhikyan called me and said that there would be an economic forum in Gavar and I was invited there as a guest. He mentioned that Prime Minister Pashinyan would also be present, and I would have the opportunity to meet him. I agreed. Moreover, when I was in a Belarusian prison (before being extradited to Baku), Pashinyan, along with Edmond Marukyan, organized a rally in front of the Belarusian embassy in Yerevan demanding my release. It was my chance to thank these people for their support during the tragic days of my imprisonment.

After the forum, there was a reception in Gavar where I, Nikol Pashinyan, Vladimir Karapetyan, and Nairi Hovhikyan met. There were other people present, but I did not recognize them; they were most likely security for the prime minister.

During this meeting, I spoke with Nikol Pashinyan about what had happened to me in Azerbaijan due to my visit to Artsakh, regarding a lawsuit against Aliyev's regime. I would like to remind you that on May 20, 2021, the European Court found Azerbaijan guilty of my unlawful arrest, torture, humiliation, and an attempted murder.

Nikol expressed his sympathy and said that if he could be of any help, I could contact him at any time. Vladimir Karapetyan stood nearby and during the conversation said that Armenia is going through a difficult period in its history, is under pressure, and that concessions in Artsakh are inevitable in order to emerge from the blockade and economic crisis. He also stated that negotiations with neighbors are necessary for the normal functioning of the country's economy and to get out of the blockade and crisis. Karapetyan added that the situation could change in the coming years, and I should pay attention to what is happening in the region.

There was nothing else. The rest of what is written in Nairi Hovhikyan's article is difficult for me to comment on, as those conversations were not held with me. I have never heard any quotes regarding 'thousands of murdered Armenians,' nor did either Nikol Pashinyan or Vladimir Karapetyan make such statements during our meeting. No one told me that if I did not stop criticizing Azerbaijan, I should not come to Armenia. On the contrary, as I mentioned above, Pashinyan told me that I could reach out to him if he could be of any assistance. And frankly, who am I to discuss 'thousands of murdered Armenians' with a head of state?

Of course, after the autumn war of 2020, we all (and I too) wondered whether the loss of Artsakh was pre-planned. Certainly, I pondered whether this was what the head of state meant when he spoke of the need to overcome the crisis in Artsakh and make forced concessions. I do not know. In any case, a disaster occurred, and it pains me, as it does the whole people of Armenia. Everyone understood that at some point the conflict in Artsakh would have to be resolved in one way or another, and some territories would have to be surrendered in favor of Baku. But at such a price, it is undoubtedly a tragedy.

Naturally, during the war, I did not know and could not know what would happen to Shushi. In his article, Nairi writes that I told him back in October that 'Shushi would be surrendered, then the war would end.' We never had such a conversation. I was convinced that Armenia would withstand this and believe it until the end, despite many Armenian analysts around saying, 'Everything has been decided; they will surrender Artsakh.'

I respect Nairi Hovhikyan; he is a talented journalist and a great patriot of Armenia. It is incomprehensible to me why he published this article mentioning my name and conversations which I was never part of. In fact, I have written above everything that happened during our meeting. I cannot be held responsible for Nairi's other statements and valuable arguments.

Postscript: I do not know why Nairi recorded my phone conversation with him after the war, where I sadly expressed that I was trying to understand what Nikol Pashinyan and Vladimir Karapetyan were thinking during that meeting in Gavar. There is nothing secret or compromising in my words, but it seems to me that it was not very decent on his part. I am far from Armenian politics; I am a blogger and a traveler, and I consider it wrong to try to draw me into political clashes.