Azerbaijan Social-Democratic Party official shares his impression from recent visit to Yerevan

You attended a meeting of the Socialist International Committee of the CIS, Caucasus and Black Sea states in Yerevan last week. What is present-day Armenia like?

It has been left behind Azerbaijan in all areas. Even a couple of days staying in this country is enough to realize how great is Armenia’s socio-economic backwardness from our country, how irreversible is this process and how Armenia is becoming the most backward state of our region. I can foresee claims of Armenian opponents who will argue that one needs to live in the country and have a detailed monitoring to describe the situation there.  But those objections are swept aside by me for several reasons.

First and foremost, IMF and other influential organizations voice the same view: Azerbaijan is developing rapidly, while Armenia is living with a hope to get out of an economic abyss. Plus, I had a lot of personal interviews with by Armenian residents who, though not openly, confirmed entire depth of the economic crisis and also crisis of ideology of Armenians around the world. Finally, I myself saw a lot of facts what great socio-economic problems Armenia faces. Public transportation there is in terrible condition. This is the case also with industrial sites Armenia has inherited from the Soviet Union.

What was the attitude towards you in there?

Ordinary Armenian citizens showed no hostility towards me. There was some hostility only by journalists. But I think this is because they were instructed to do so. As I said, the socio-economic situation in Armenia is simply horrible and it is not easy to find a well-paid job. Therefore, the Armenian journalists, of course, do not want to lose their job. So, they did what they were instructed to do.

In your opinion, do ordinary people of Armenia understand that grave socio-economic situation in the country  has been caused by country leadership’s disregard of international law and failure to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under the law?

At backstage conversations with me, not only ordinary Armenians, but also politicians and journalists of this country showed understanding of the relationship between today's disastrous economic and social situation and country’s disregard of international law, its refusal or inability to agree to settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which led them to the pinnacle of power.

But we all understand that the power in Armenia is held by a criminal regime which is able to destroy anyone who does not like it. My interlocutors also admitted this. So, it is not surprising that none of the Armenians, who spoke to me personally about the depth of the abyss Armenia has ended up, could not say this openly.

So, you want to say that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan does not enjoy much authority in his country?  

Exactly. Power of the Armenian President relies on force and is ready to shed blood of its own people as Armenians witnessed during latest presidential elections. Therefore, part of the country's citizens are afraid of their power, and some hate it. In interviews with me Armenians said the following: "Serzh Sargsyan is a native of Azerbaijan. So, take him back, we do not need him."

What do Armenians thing about Azerbaijan’s right to restore its own territorial integrity by different ways in event Armenia fails to be constructive in peace talks?

Almost all Armenians, with whom I had an opportunity to communicate, were asking me whether Azerbaijan is reallyready for a forceful solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I could see how Armenian citizens are fearful of the fact that Azerbaijan may exercise its right to restore its territorial integrity through military means.

Moreover, the Armenian citizens are well aware that their children will suffer in the event of war rather than the children of those officials who came to power thanks to the conflict and now live in luxury while ordinary Armenians live in poverty.


/Day.Az/