Viewing Artsakh as a Problem Means Surrendering to Baku: Gegham Nazaryan

Aram Manukyan, the vice president of the Armenian National Congress, held a press conference where he stated, "The root of all our problems is in Nagorno-Karabakh; I'm speaking subjectively, even Amulsar and the rest may be connected to Karabakh. If you solve your main challenge, addressing the others becomes easier. This issue must be resolved, and we need to get out of this situation. The issue of emigration, economic revolution, Amulsar, the Istanbul Convention must be addressed as well."

Such statements can often be found on haggin.az, articulated by Azerbaijani officials. To what extent must an Armenian go for their tongue to twist and consider Artsakh a problem? What is the problem—peaceful life, the thirty years of liberated Artsakh, the annually increasing tourist flows to Karabakh, newborn children, growing local production, magnificent cities and villages, or the pan-Armenian games that have become a gathering place for all Armenians in Stepanakert?

Perhaps Aram Manukyan meant that resolving the issue of Artsakh would serve as a catalyst for new development. However, this too requires clarification. The resolution of the issue means the independence of Artsakh and the complete assurance of security. Therefore, at this moment, a solution to the problem is impossible. The resolution of the problem depends not only on us but also on Baku. Thus, Artsakh is not a problem, but a question that ensures national motivation and national consolidation, a mission for this and future generations.

Viewing Artsakh as a problem means handing over a means of surrender to Baku. No issue in Armenia is unsolvable, whether it's Amulsar, economic development, or emigration. But there's one condition for this—reject, forever reject the way of thinking of individuals like Aram Manukyan. Any one-sided concession will turn Armenia into a useless territory in the Caucasus, if you will, a commercial branch of Turkey.

Gegham Nazaryan
"Alternative Projects Group"