Everyone remembers how Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared in August 2019, while in the occupied Azerbaijani territories of Karabakh, on the occasion of the so-called "Panarmya Games" organised in an absolutely illegal manner by the occupiers, "Artsakh is Armenia and that's it". Although, judging by Pashinyan's recent statements, the international community has not seen any options for Karabakh not to be part of Azerbaijan since 1996. And it has told Yerevan so directly. Even Armenia's allies such as France have advised the Armenians to seek a "status" for their "Artsakh" within Azerbaijan.

Statements about the "Armenian" affiliation of the occupied territories in 2019, as well as Pashinyan's refusal to start the de-occupation of Azerbaijani territories, made a "violent solution" of the Karabakh issue inevitable. And in the end, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity by liberating Karabakh from the occupiers.

It would appear that the authorities of the Republic of Armenia have finally come to the realisation that it is preferable to relinquish another's property in a manner that is both respectful and courteous. Consequently, Armenia has taken the decision to liberate four non-enclave villages in the Gazakh region. The liberation of three enclave villages in the Gazakh region and one in Nakhichevan AR is still pending. Nikol Pashinyan has significantly altered his rhetoric in comparison to 2019. In a recent interview with British media, he explicitly stated that the Republic of Armenia will not engage in military action over Karabakh.

"It is evident that there were forces that sought to involve the Republic of Armenia in a conflict under these circumstances (the anti-terrorist operation of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Karabakh in September 2023 - ed.)." In response to the previous questions, Nikol Pashinyan asserted that the Republic of Armenia will not engage in military action to secure Nagorno-Karabakh. He further clarified that the Republic of Armenia has no territorial ambitions beyond the internationally recognized borders, which encompass 29,743 square kilometers.

To confirm his "peacefulness", Nikol Pashinyan has just mentioned the beginning of the border demarcation process in the Gazakh region:

"By the way, I think we have already proved our sincerity by the decisions taken today in the delimitation process. We have shown our sincerity because we have also done the following: we have declared that the Government of the Republic of Armenia is ready to take steps within the framework of its authority to make life possible in the Azerbaijani villages, in particular, we are talking about 4 villages - Kyzyl-Gajili, Kheirimli, Ashagi-Askipara, Baganis Ayrum, to make life possible in these villages where people do not live now.

But we also declare that as a result of the same process, the life of the people in the Armenian villages of Baghanis, Voskepar, Kirants, Berkaber should also become possible without stress, so that these people can live in their homes, raise families, have children without fear of safety," Nikol Pashinyan said. - said Nikol Pashinyan.

Well, these are quite reasonable and finally sensible words. But they should be complemented by the fact that the displaced Azerbaijani inhabitants of dozens of other villages in the internationally recognised territory of Armenia should also be able to return to their homes and live there peacefully. For some reason, however, Nikol Pashinyan's "peacefulness" has not yet been extended in this direction.

This is especially evident from his own words, which he said in the same interview, but in relation to the return of ethnic Armenians to Karabakh.  During one of his regional visits, Pashinyan was approached by a woman who had left Karabakh and asked about the reality of returning to Karabakh:

"I said that I will answer directly and sincerely: in the current situation and in the perceptions that exist in our region, in the perceptions that exist in Azerbaijan, in the perceptions that exist among the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, in these conditions I do not consider these perceptions realistic. I said: I cannot deceive you, because if it were realistic, there would be no deportation from Nagorno-Karabakh", Nikol Pashinyan replied.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia is lying. First of all, there was no 'deportation' of Armenians from Azerbaijani Karabakh. All of them, having succumbed to the agitation and threats of the separatists, left this Azerbaijani land of their own free will. On the contrary, the Azerbaijani authorities asked them to stay and take Azerbaijani citizenship.

Let us remember - did the authorities of the Armenian SSR and the Republic of Armenia make any similar offers to ethnic Azerbaijanis to stay on the territory of today's Armenia in 1987-1991? Azerbaijanis were not only deported - they were forcibly expelled, killed and beaten.

Secondly, Azerbaijan still offers Karabakh Armenians to return and take its citizenship. Do the authorities of the Republic of Armenia make similar offers to Azerbaijani refugees from its internationally recognised territory? No!

And Nikol Pashinyan's words that he "does not consider realistic" the return of ethnic Hayyas to Karabakh are only proof that he will not even offer ethnic Azerbaijanis to return to the territory of the Republic of Armenia.  And this already shows that Pashinyan's "peacefulness" is still "bogged down" in the "overdue" and "bloody borders" drawn by Khayi ethnic nationalism, as well as his intention to work to prevent Azerbaijanis (on the territory of present-day Armenia) from living peacefully alongside his tribesmen on their ancestral lands.

It should also be understood that both the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis from their internationally recognised territory and the occupation of Azerbaijani Karabakh by Armenia were based on an "alliance" with Russia. This "alliance" is now disintegrating because the Russians are unwilling to fight for Hay's interests and ambitions. And the CSTO does not suit Armenia for this very reason.

Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview that Armenia has now virtually suspended its participation in the CSTO:

"Our society says to us: why do you continue to be a member of the CSTO? To be honest, I don't have an answer to this question," Pashinyan said, making it clear that the nationalist-infected society is no longer looking to Russia and the CSTO and their military assistance, but to the West. "Armenia has never been far from the West, the Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement with the EU was signed by the previous authorities," the Armenian Prime Minister noted.

The West has already commenced the supply of weapons to Armenia. Despite Nikol Pashinyan's assertion that Yerevan's purchases are exclusively defensive, it is evident that the distinction between defensive and offensive weapons is increasingly blurred in modern warfare. Ultimately, these weapons are employed for aggression.

Armenia's shifting alliances and patrons have compelled it to adopt a rhetoric of peace and stability. The durability of this rhetoric is uncertain. However, Nikol Pashinyan's words alone cannot be trusted. His professed commitment to peace should be evidenced by concrete actions, including the return of enclaves, the unblocking of communications (including the Zangezur corridor), the return of Azerbaijani refugees to their homes, and the return of non-enclave villages.

George Mazniashvili