This Process Raises More Questions Than Hints of Peace, Tatoian

The process with Azerbaijan is primarily centered around satisfying Azerbaijan’s demands, and Azerbaijan has not abandoned its aggressive plans toward Armenia. This is largely what the recent negotiations in Washington have been about. This was stated by Arman Tatoian, former Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia.

“Armenian authorities are unable to leverage the important role of the USA to benefit our country's national interests. Below are some non-exhaustive facts that demonstrate Azerbaijan's decidedly non-peaceful plans:

1. Azerbaijan continuously propagates through a fabricated 'trial' regarding prisoners that Armenians are 'barbaric and genocidal,' 'vandalistic people without conscience,' with whom it is impossible to live in peace and security, thus deepening state-sponsored racism and hatred toward Armenians. This fabricated 'trial' creates ground for aggression against Armenia, instilling a motivation for revenge within Azerbaijani society. Therefore, this 'trial' should be viewed as a threat to Armenia's security system, rather than merely a question of releasing prisoners; the release of prisoners and prevention of this 'trial' is of strategic importance for the peace process.
2. Azerbaijan actively propagates in school and university curricula that Armenia is entirely 'Azerbaijani land' and that Armenians are newcomers who have artificially settled in the South Caucasus and massacred Azerbaijanis.
3. Azerbaijani authorities continue their large-scale aggressive plans against Armenia, presenting all of our country’s territory as so-called 'Western Azerbaijan' and trying to erase Armenian history.
4. Everything is being done to forget the rights of the Artsakh residents who were completely displaced just two years ago from their ancestral homes and native land. This seeks to erase the atrocities against the Armenian people, the blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the subsequent ethnic cleansing, and accountability for these actions.
5. Most of the churches and monasteries in Armenia are considered Azerbaijani cultural heritage and are demanded to be returned to Azerbaijan.
6. Azerbaijan demands that countries supplying weapons to Armenia nullify those contracts, asserting that the weapons delivered to Armenia must be returned. At the same time, Azerbaijan has significantly increased its military budget.
7. There is no demarcation or delimitation of Armenia’s state borders planned, and it is also unknown when it will happen. One thing is clear: Azerbaijani armed forces continue to entrench themselves in Armenia’s sovereign territory, near villages and towns and along roads, disrupting the lives of the peaceful population (by planting mines, opening fire, etc.).
8. The so-called draft peace agreement published stipulates that the parties recognize each other's sovereignty and do not interfere in internal affairs, but just a few days ago, the President of Azerbaijan threatened in a press conference in the USA that Armenia must change its Constitution (this is direct interference in internal affairs).
9. The Azerbaijani government demands that Armenia withdraw its complaints from international courts, fully aware that they document Azerbaijani crimes against the Armenian people and significantly worsen Azerbaijan's position.

These are just some of the facts, and furthermore, the Armenian government has itself stated that no 'document' can guarantee peace; it is strange that in these days, an artificial euphoria is being inflamed across the country, presenting themselves as saviors of the nation,” the post states.

Tatoian added that this process raises more questions than it hints at peace.