By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenia’s first president, leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Ter-Petrosyan often shocks the Armenian society with outright statements revealing the real situation in his country.

Ter-Petrosyan, addressing the recent meeting of his party, exposed the true essence of the Sargsyan regime openly admitting that Armenia is on the verge of disaster.

The former president stated that the country is in a dire situation – poverty and migration grows, the army decays and economy collapses, while the authorities continue to grab the nation and squander the national wealth.

Ter-Petrosyan is sure that all these are only a tip of an iceberg – the authorities by all means try to preserve the status quo in Karabakh [the occupied region of Azerbaijan]. This, of course, isolates Armenia from the world, and even more harms the people’s wellbeing.

Ter-Petrosyan further criticized the Armenian government for “delusional dreams” of taking Baku, liberation of Western Armenia and creation of Armenia from sea to sea."

“The medieval right of the conqueror no longer applies in the modern world. There is no other way of resolving conflicts except through compromise,” Ter-Petrosyan said.

Armenia is in a state of isolation in the region because of its aggressive policy against its neighbors.

 The aggressive policy towards neighboring Azerbaijan did not allow a recovery for Armenian economy, and left it aside from all huge regional economic projects. Due to its groundless territorial claims and internal conflicts in Armenia, foreign investment did not come to the country, while its neighbors enjoyed the foreign investments. Thus, Armenia has turned into a black sheep of the region causing more damages to its economy.

 “The regime, which could not draw the moral from the bitter experience of the past 18 years, decided to continue the infamous policy of perpetual conflict with Azerbaijan and Turkey. All this has led to big economic, social, demographic, and psychological destruction in Armenia and Karabakh,” Ter-Petrosyan said. “This means we will be subjected to destruction for, at least, another 18 years, until nothing remains from Armenia and Karabakh, and the problem itself will lose its relevance.”

Unlike the current Armenian authorities, Ter-Petrosyan understands that the country should come to negotiations with Azerbaijan. However, there are only few people in Armenia who dares to speak for the peace – they are immediately getting persecuted and may be even arrested by the Armenian government.