Separatist "underground" in Armenia and prospects for peace

A lawsuit filed by separatist Samvel Shahramanyan against the Armenian Ministry of Education and the author of a 9th grade history textbook, Nzhdeh Hovsepyan, began in Yerevan on Tuesday.

Surely, after reading the news, everyone will wonder why the separatist decided to sue the Ministry of Education and the textbook. The answer to it may surprise you - it is so unexpected. The reason for the claim was the indication in the history textbook of the fact that Shahramanyan, when he was the head of the separatist regime, signed a decree on the termination of the existence of the so-called "NKR". That is, the separatist is suing the department and the author of the textbook for not hiding what he really did.

Armenian logic, especially the logic of nationalists and separatists, is very ornate and confusing. It is based on the cunning of criminals trying to pass off lies as the truth. And these manipulations are so blatant that the audience begins to take them at face value. The audience thinks, as it was said in the famous comedy, "well, he can't lie every minute." Well, a man can't so blatantly deceive his fellow tribesmen. So he's telling the truth?

Shahramanian resorted to the same method of persuading society that was used by all adherents of Armenian Nazism and separatism before him. He began to deny the obvious.

Before the meeting, the separatist announced to the assembled journalists that he had "come in expectation of justice." According to media reports, "justice" has not taken place.

The 9th grade Armenian history textbook states that "the President signed a decree on the dissolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic." According to Roman Yeritsyan, the lawyer of the "president", the plaintiff demands to ban the teaching of several sections of this textbook in Armenian schools, which undermine his reputation. Shahramanyan claims in the lawsuit that he did not sign the decree, but only made a statement about the dissolution. And his intentions were the most sacred - to save the separatist masses from a "massacre."

Well, why romanticize it so much. Shahramanyan was not saving the Armenians, but his own skin. The Armenians of Karabakh were not in danger, but he would not have been released from Karabakh without signing such a decree. The Azerbaijani side has never considered the separatist regime legitimate, nor its "decrees" legally binding. For Baku, not a single piece of paper signed by the "president", "Minister of state", "speaker" and other representatives of the regime has ever had any significance. An unrecognized education played these games with itself, creating the appearance of institutionalization that had no legal force. The so-called decree on the dissolution of the self-proclaimed entity was necessary so that those who believed they lived in an "independent state" would understand that the curtain had closed. What happens on the theater stage is also just a game, but the performance always has an end and a final bow. Shahramanyan committed it by signing a paper on the self-destruction of the "age-old Armenian dream", and thereby bought his freedom.

The only mistake of the Azerbaijani side was that the separatists were given three months until complete self-destruction. It was necessary to determine the self-dissolution on the day of signing the paper - not from January 1, 2024, but from September 28, 2023. Armenians have once again proved that they do not appreciate a humane approach.

There can be no doubt that the last head of the Karabakh regime did sign such a document. Now he claims that he just made a statement that the document was not published, and so on. Then why all the excuses? Over the past two years, he has repeatedly convinced the audience that he signed the document for the sake of "saving" the Armenians. There was no talk about the statement, it was about signing the so-called decree. The "statement" appeared later, apparently at the prompting of the lawyers.

Once out of reach of Azerbaijan, Shahramanyan remained silent and hid for a couple of weeks, expecting to be beaten. But the tribesmen had no time for him. They didn't beat him, and the separatist fluffed up his feathers again. While in Armenia, he managed to sign a couple more "decrees". With one of them, he cancelled the dissolution of the self-proclaimed "NKR". This piece of paper made even less sense than the one signed to save his skin in Khankendi, but it was signed again to save his beloved. The anger of the Armenians, who succumbed to the regime's propaganda and voluntarily left Karabakh, could overtake him at any moment. The Armenians were promised that they were leaving temporarily and would soon return on French or Russian tanks, accompanied by UN, OSCE and other missions, after which they would become the complete masters of Karabakh forever and ever. When there was no immediate triumphant return, Samvelka began to give up everything he had done. It is clear that in his place, every "president" who does not want to go to jail for a long time would do this, but can you explain it to people? Why are the officers of the Armenian army allowed to flee from the battlefield, but the "president of Artsakh" is not allowed to take care of himself?

Shahramanyan was very unlucky to be the last one. There was no need to win the "election." He would have stepped aside and given in to Samvel Babayan, who was so eager for power. The latter was lucky not to become the "last president" and escape to Armenia after the collapse of the separatist regime, while Shahramanyan had to take his breath away. He was only the leader of the regime for a couple of weeks.

Baku warned the separatists not to make a show, but they did not listen. The consequences were not long in coming.

Roman Yeritsyan, Shahramanyan's lawyer, gives Shahramanyan the wrong advice. He proceeds from the illegitimate laws and constitution of "Artsakh". From the point of view of international law, these acts have never had and have no legal force. Therefore, it is ridiculous to appeal to them. Lawyer Yeritsyan tells the journalists not to consider the page of the Karabakh conflict closed due to territorial losses. "We will get what we have back," the separatist says.

All this is being said and done today, against the background of the peace process between Baku and Yerevan. Azerbaijan is closely watching what is happening. And the official statements of the Armenian government alone are not enough. Official Yerevan should take the problem of Armenian separatism more seriously, which, with the support of external players, is trying to get back into the game.

To be fair, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinan has repeatedly stated that there cannot be a "government in exile" in Armenia. Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan spoke even more harshly. Earlier, he stated that the Republic of Armenia does not have any "Artsakh issue." Armenia fully supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which includes Karabakh. Simonyan recently told reporters that there is no Karabakh structure in Armenia. No structure can have a higher status than an NGO. Otherwise, the relevant authorities should deal with this issue, because "the Republic of Armenia is a state, and no other structure exists, cannot exist, and is not recognized within the state."

The words are correct, but they are just words. The Armenian government should seriously address the elimination of illegal separatist circles and underground cells. Their presence not only destabilizes the domestic political field of the country, but also affects the interests of peace in the region. Can Azerbaijan sign a peace treaty with a state with a separatist "government" and "parliament" operating on its territory? Article VIII of the text of the peace treaty, initialed in Washington on August 8, states that "the parties condemn and will fight intolerance, racial hatred and discrimination, separatism, violent extremism and terrorism in all their manifestations within their jurisdiction and will comply with their respective international obligations." If Yerevan is going to start fighting the separatists only after peace is signed, then this is the wrong approach. Separatist figures are messing with Armenian society, and the masses deceived by the separatists make up a significant part of the opposition electorate. The continuation of the activities of Shahramanyan and his gang also harms the sovereignty of Armenia, as these circles are supported from abroad and actually promote foreign interests in the country. One can understand Pashinyan's fears of losing votes on the eve of the elections as a result of such measures, but the agitation conducted by the separatist "underground" can harm his interests much more.

And yet, Shahramanyan will probably have to think about his priceless skin again, because the organs are interested in him. Immediately after the court session and stormy communication with journalists, the "president" was summoned to the Investigative Committee for questioning in the case of Bagrat Galstanyan...