Armenians Can Also Raise Their Self-Determination Issue in Azerbaijan, Says Aghazaryan

In recent days, the authorities have begun to circulate a new thesis: issues regarding Artsakh should be negotiated between official Stepanakert and Baku. Alongside this thesis, Azerbaijan continues to pursue its agenda, asserting that Artsakh is its territory and that it will ensure the safety of the 'Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic community.' This formulation was mentioned in a document reportedly discussed in Washington by Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan and Aliyev’s assistant Hajiev.

In this document, it is noteworthy that the people of Artsakh are classified as a national minority on their own land. How, then, will the negotiations proceed, and how does the current Armenian government envision this format?

On this topic, MediaHub.am spoke with ruling party MP Hovik Aghazaryan. Below is the interview published by the media outlet:

“- Mr. Aghazaryan, how do you envision the format of these negotiations? Do you believe that Azerbaijan, expressing itself this way about Artsakh and its people, will sit down at the negotiating table with Artsakh?

- In general, how do negotiations occur in such cases, when an ethnicity within a certain state decides it should self-determine? That will be the negotiation process. We all know very well that during any negotiation process concerning Artsakh, the Armenian authorities could initiate nothing without the agreement of Artsakh's authorities. In this case, it is more appropriate for the elected authorities of the Artsakh people to conduct these negotiations. Let's see where the negotiations will lead.

- You speak of the right to self-determination for Artsakh, but our enemy state does not even want to hear about this; they speak of the Artsakh people as an 'ethnic community.'

- That is Azerbaijan's position, while the people of Artsakh have held a referendum and declared independence. Therefore, by all diplomatic means, the people of Artsakh should fight for the realization of their right to self-determination. We too must assist the people of Artsakh within our capabilities.

- Mr. Aghazaryan, your colleagues are declaring from various platforms that they can no longer support Artsakh, yet you are saying something different. Additionally, by recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan with a peace treaty, how will we support Artsakh?

- Let’s set aside the issue of Artsakh's self-determination for a moment and discuss another example. For instance, the Talysh in Azerbaijan are determining their self-determination, and we, as a state, are expressing our readiness to support the right of the Talysh people to self-determine. Does this mean we have any territorial claim against Azerbaijan? In the case of Artsakh, even more so, we have no territorial claim against Azerbaijan. We just need to support the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determine.

- How can you draw a comparison between the Artsakh people and the Talysh when the people of Artsakh have a homeland, an independent state that was established through a referendum?

- It is much better that the Artsakh people have an independent state established through a referendum. This simplifies the process, because today, when the international community sees that the Armenia-Azerbaijan issue is separate from the issue of the self-determination rights of the Artsakh people, finding solutions becomes easier.

- So, is our hope dependent on the international community’s reaction to this issue?

- The fact remains that the people of Artsakh have self-determined and have held a referendum for their independence. Therefore, Azerbaijani authorities have two paths: to convince our compatriots in Artsakh to retreat from their decision through negotiation or to suppress the self-determination rights of the people of Artsakh by force. I consider the first option unlikely, and in the event of the second, if they try to suppress, the international community will likely respond accordingly.

- And what if it does not respond? How do we proceed with our hopes for Yerevan?

- But are we washing our hands of the people of Artsakh?

- What are we doing, Mr. Aghazaryan?

- So, are the Artsakh authorities being funded by your party? I’m not aware of that.

- So, by recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, will we continue to finance Artsakh? There has been no statement about this.

- Well, what will we do? Let’s see what happens. Let’s wait for developments.”