August 10, 2026
One year after the Washington Declaration of “Peace”, Nikol Pashinyan published a congratulatory text, then he called Aliyev, the US Secretary of State sent a message, and even Turkey mentioned Azerbaijan and Armenia moving towards peace, but Azerbaijan continued to show its aspirations. On the Azerbaijani state TV channel, AZ TV, the Azerbaijani side claimed that the project, the foundations of which the parties tried to lay in stone a year ago, is only the “Historical Corridor of Zangezur”.
Despite this, various actors of the government continue to congratulate each other for the achievements made in Washington a year ago.
Is there really reason to celebrate, and where will this agreement take us? 168․am-was interested from economist Hrant Mikayelyan.
“The authorities are interested in seeing this agreement through to the end, because they invested all their political capital in it and left the Republic of Armenia without any significant and real alternatives.
The latter is diplomatically wrong, because from the point of view of diplomatic theory, it is always desirable to have and create alternatives to the negotiated agreement, so that you have a negotiating position. Otherwise, you will have to be under the pressure of your partner or opponent.
Azerbaijan, realizing the situation in which the current government of Armenia has found itself, is using this moment, pretending that it does not need this, that it is already the “Zangezur Corridor”, in this way, by and large, trying to renegotiate, – first recorded Hrant Mikayelyan, then added, – There is no situation to congratulate here, especially since we have not reached any clarity.”
The political scientist does not consider this to be peace at all, but a postponement of war.
“If we achieve peace and preferably without concessions, it will be a result, but as of now, the authorities are also talking about war. for example, during the pre-election campaign, they said that if they do not win with the constitutional majority, then there will be a war in September. “September has not yet come, but in any case, the fact that they raise the issue of war means that “peace” has not been established,” he said.
Hrant Mikayelyan considers the talks about TRIPP’s economic benefits to be propaganda.
“The reality is as follows: Azerbaijan is blackmailing the Republic of Armenia with the threat of war. This blackmail has not stopped at least since 2005, but it has intensified over the last 5-6 years as a result of defeats and absurd diplomacy,” explained the specialist, considering the only benefit of the famous declaration was the easing of the situation and the one year gained.
The next one, TRIPP, however, replaces the “Zangezur Corridor” talk, mitigates it, but although TRIPP mitigates in some way, the issue is not resolved: it is written there that Armenia’s sovereignty is secured, etc., but not in writing. if it is forced, it is already not provided.
According to him, even in the case of Trump’s departure from power, the “Trump’s Way of International Peace and Prosperity”, TRIPP, will not be canceled, because that project is a continuation of the old political line, a long-prepared plan.
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