The international reaction to the ongoing developments in Armenia prompts the authorities the need to enter into a dialogue with the political opposition, the director of the analytical center Hayatsk (Insight) said today, considering the process urgent and inevitable.
Commenting on the February 25 protests attracting two opposing groups (government critics demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation and pro-government activists supporting the incumbent authorities), Anna Karapetyan highlighted also Russia’s somewhat neutral stance amid the “fragile” situation in the region. “Russia has a special stabilizing role to play, and it is important for Russia to prevent a scenario potentially leading to unmanageable changes,” she told ArmNews TV channel’s Lilit Tumanyan during the morning news broadcast.
The expert also agreed that Moscow is “closely following” the domestic political developments in Armenia, “awaiting a peaceful outcome”.
“The reactions by the EU and the US were very close. Especially notable was the statement by the US Department of State that the United States do not treat the statement by the General Headquarters of the Armed Froces as an attempted military coup. It is very important as it reflects the West’s understanding that the General Headquarters [tried to] pave the way to a political development of the process – instead of opting for a coup d’état.”
Karapetyan noted that despite the formal neutrality, both the EU and the US implicitly warned against the military’s intervention in political processes.
“It would be very desirable, of course, if the West’s reactions stemmed from values indeed, from their caretaking attitude to real democracy, but we see that it doesn’t work in politics. There were numerous instances in the past three years when the West was expected to react, considering its values; yet they remained silent,” she added.
The analyst also commented upon the concerns coming from Ankara and Baku. “Azerbaijan is afraid least the arrangements reached should stop – together with its progress – while Turkey has specific expectations which haven’t yet been fully satisfied. Hence they need Nikol Pashinyan’s continued tenure now to keep on serving Turkish and Azerbaijani interests,” she said.
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