Hikmet Haji-zade: "Russia hopes that E.Nalbandyan will not betray it for the West"

-Mr. Hajizade, how would you comment on the appointment of Edward Nalbandyan as the Foreign Minister of Armenia?

-We do not know what happens inside the Armenian government, but from the biography of former and current minister, it can be said that the policy has changed. Thus, Raffi Ovanesyan and Vardan Oskanyan were representatives of diaspora, people, educated in the United States (Oskanyan-in Harvard). There were also the founders of Armenian Diaspora committees abroad and communicated Armenia and the West by agreement with the Armenian ruling circles.

New Minister Nalbandyan is an experienced Soviet diplomat. He studied in Moscow, worked at the Foreign Ministry of Russia and then in the USSR embassies in Lebanon, Egypt, which means that he is a "well-checked" and "reliable" pro-Russian politician. Perhaps, he has a certain rank in the Russian intelligence services. He seems to be appointed by Russia's instruction for execution of the new completely pro-Russian course, currently undertaken by Armenia. Russia hopes that Nalbandyan will not betray Russia for the West.

-How do you assess the work of the former Foreign Minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan?

-I can assess it only from my position. I think that the course for isolation, undertaken by Armenia and implemented by Oskanyan, is a fatal strategic mistake.

-What do you think is meant under Oskanyan's statement that "international capital of Armenia has been lost"?

-Perhaps, he implied that the world turned its back to Armenia and no one wants to support it due to its aggressive policy and a one-sided pro-Russian orientation.

-By the way, how would you comment on the announcement of former President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan that Armenia accounts for about 150 political prisoners?

-This is true. I have seen the films about the brutal suppression of protests following elections and read publications about the arrests. Everything is true-they have 150 political prisoners.

-But, why did the world society not take a single condemning position towards Armenia, despite this announcement and despite obvious mass falsifications during the elections and unrest, which caused death to 8 people?

-Indeed, in the first days following the elections, western mass medias and governments preferred to keep silent about the bloody events in Armenia. Perhaps this is due to the fear of "offend" Russia, which is hysterical about KOsovo, radars in Poland and Czechia, Georgian and Ukrainian membership in NATO.

Yet, today western democratic society has already started to pay due attention to the recent events in Armenia. The European Union and Parliament have condemned the brutal suppression of protests and urged to free political prisoners. PACE will also discuss this issue.

/Day.Az/