The West understands what is really happening in Armenia but prefers to turn a blind eye to it. This was stated by Harut Sassounian, editor of The California Courier.
The authorities’ repression of opponents is evident to everyone, and the current silence of Western countries is solely due to the fact that they benefit from the foreign policy line pursued by the current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “They care little that Pashinyan’s actions contradict Armenia’s interests; what matters to them is that Pashinyan obediently follows a course that aligns with the interests of the USA, the EU, and Turkey. Moreover, they are deeply concerned that if Pashinyan is removed from power, they could lose all of this,” Sassounian believes.
He is convinced that Pashinyan is not merely making mistakes but deliberately crossing all red lines. “To declare that Armenia’s military budget will not be increased at a time when Azerbaijan is actively arming itself, purchasing advanced technologies and weapons, is unacceptable. It’s as if Pashinyan is deliberately seeking and creating new ways and opportunities for unilateral concessions to Azerbaijan,” Sassounian said.
At the same time, he continued, Armenia’s prime minister is extremely cunning and skillfully misleads the country’s public. Day after day, he repeats the same mantra: “there will be peace,” but for Azerbaijan’s president, a signed peace agreement is just a piece of paper. Sassounian is certain that Aliyev deliberately makes additional demands to avoid signing the document. Nevertheless, even if Aliyev eventually agrees to sign a peace treaty, it will not protect Armenia from further aggression.
“Azerbaijan may attack the very next day after signing a peace agreement. Both Pashinyan and Aliyev perfectly understand that neither the USA nor the EU will intervene in the event of another Azerbaijani aggression. At most, one can expect statements from the US ambassador or, at best, the president of France. But the West will not go beyond criticism and calls,” Sassounian is convinced.