Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that there are political forces advocating a revision of the peace agenda, which could lead to a new war shortly after the June parliamentary elections.
“There are certain circles in Armenia which, if they come to power, intend to revise the peace agenda. All these forces speak from a position of revising peace, which means an inevitable war soon after the elections—no later than autumn,” Pashinyan said at a briefing on Thursday, responding to a question about the actions of “war parties” and “hybrid wars.”
According to the prime minister, such statements could have serious consequences for the country.
“All these forces do not even understand what they are saying. They voice texts written by others and cannot claim any official status in Armenia… They are preparing a new September war with serious consequences,” he said.
The Armenian prime minister also described Armenia’s Declaration of Independence as “a declaration of conflict and dependence.”
“This is not a declaration of independence, but a declaration of conflict and, as a result, a declaration of dependence,” Pashinyan said.
The head of government compared countries in the region to apartments on the same floor, stating that the Declaration contains threats to Armenia’s neighbors. Under such conditions, he argued, the country can exist only with external support:
“And the expectation of external assistance creates growing dependence on those from whom it is expected. Therefore, the Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict and dependence.”
Pashinyan also said that Armenians must “put an end to wandering and living abroad”:
“We have you, you have a state, and that state is the Republic of Armenia. Our entire strategy is based on ensuring that you settle in Armenia—both physically and psychologically. And that together we make this state, which is a great value for us and for the Armenian people, more prosperous, more secure, and safer. So that ultimately we can move away from the logic of survival to the logic of development, prosperity, and peace. I believe we must focus precisely on solving these tasks.”
