Azerbaijan Has Many Problems: Ruben Vardanyan

During a live broadcast organized by Ruben Vardanyan, the former Minister of State of Artsakh, on the Telegram channel Re:public of Artsakh, a question was raised regarding the recent stance of the Russian Federation in the UN Security Council. It was asked how effective the mission of the Russian peacekeeping forces is, especially considering the justified grievances people have about their operations.

According to the November 2020 agreement, the Lachin corridor was supposed to remain under the control of Russian peacekeepers, yet it has been blocked, resulting in a humanitarian disaster in Artsakh. In response, Ruben Vardanyan stated, "Let's divide the question into three parts; I will answer your question in a bit more detail to make it clear. There are three issues concerning the presence of Russian peacekeepers in the Caucasus region. The first and most difficult issue is that when the document was signed on November 9, 2020, over time, new updates and changes usually arise—new instructions. Unfortunately, to our misfortune and that of no one else, when that document was signed on November 9, a working group was established to present all points separately because there were various elements and it wouldn’t leave room for different interpretations. Especially when one of the parties has an advantage, it can interpret the document in any way it wishes. And in this regard, it was a major shortcoming on our part because we failed to properly complete our homework, as we could not present a package of documents where all details of the agreement's separate points would be presented.

The second point regarding the peacekeepers is that unfortunately, we do not clearly understand the limitations of the peacekeepers' functions. Many of you may have seen how bulldozers in Northern Cyprus crushed the peacekeepers' vehicles. In this sense, the peacekeepers, whose numbers and functions are very limited, are more of a restraining force than one that indicates specific actions. If one side does not want to fulfill its obligations, everywhere—even in Africa—we see, regardless of whether they are international peacekeepers or other peacekeepers, if one side does not want to fulfill its obligations, we will not achieve the desired outcome. We have seen this many times, whether it be Russian or French forces, their functions are limited,” said Ruben Vardanyan.

He noted that there are objections and complaints regarding Russia's role as a guarantor of security for Armenia and Artsakh, as a partner, and as a protector. "Armenian society, as always, is divided between pro-Russian and anti-Russian sentiments. That is a very primitive and incorrect approach; no one is obligated to anyone in any way. In this cynical world, no one is indebted to anyone. We witnessed how France and England handed over Czechoslovakia to Germany in 1938. We have seen many similar instances of how the Americans withdrew from Afghanistan. There is a similar approach among Armenians, which assumes that everyone is obligated to us and we are important to everyone. That is our problem; no one owes us anything. To be important and to be taken into account, we need to be influential, strong, and be relied upon.

When asked if Azerbaijan is more attractive and important to Russia economically and politically than Armenia, especially given Russia's position on the issue, which suggests a denial of the solution based on the self-determination of the people of Artsakh, and favors the integration of the Armenian population into Azerbaijan, Ruben Vardanyan disagreed. "People should not think that this issue will be resolved in a month or two. I am strongly opposed to the use of the term integration; I want to be accurate: the Armenian population can never be part of Azerbaijan. The whole question is how to regulate relationships with the neighboring country. It is very difficult—how does Azerbaijan visualize Armenian-rooted soldiers serving in its armed forces? I find it very hard to envision. Everyone understands this very well, although they may pretend they don’t. First, it is impossible; second, Armenia has a fantastic advantage."

Ruben Vardanyan noted that being spread across all countries in the world gives us much more importance for the international community, having professionalism, high intellectual potential, and technological capabilities, which have been utilized in many countries around the world. "We can be a buffer state for the West and Russia, similar to what Finland was for the Soviet Union and Europe. It's true we don’t have gas and oil like Azerbaijan, but Azerbaijan's gas is only 10 percent of Europe's gas. Azerbaijan has many problems; I do not want to elaborate on that now. The average Azerbaijani lives a much worse life than the average Armenian; of course, propaganda does not represent these figures, but in the villages, they are poorer, and there is a problem of illiteracy. Armenia is like a boxer who has lost a match but is now filled with determination to win the next bout and fears new blows. This is very important for overcoming the internal situation. We must not give up because nothing is over yet. I cannot imagine how severe the situation might be for us. Azerbaijan, speaking of Western Azerbaijan and Sevan, all of this is so unserious; it is propagandists doing this to pressure us Armenians. It is unserious, and more players will get involved in this process. The most important thing is the spirit, readiness, will, and willingness to take risks. We should say that we are small, but we can cut your throat or create so many problems for you that you might feel overwhelmed. I believe the most important thing is that one side should not strive for maximum demands and ask for everything. I believe peace will only occur when both strong sides come to the conclusion that they can reach an agreement to achieve peace; that has been the case between England and France, France and Germany, and not just in Europe but in many other countries around the planet. It is not possible for one side to get everything; we have to understand that a lot depends on us; we need to place our hopes on ourselves. Being prepared to take hits does not mean we should not be ready to hit back, so that the mob attacking us will fear or think twice before they find themselves in trouble."