In 1991-1997, senior adviser to the President of the Republic of Armenia, historian, professor, diplomat Jirayr Liparityan referred to the internal political situation in Armenia. The diplomat wrote:
"I am trying to think, what problem are Vazgen Manukyan and his 17 allies solving?"
1․ Are they resolving the situation created by the November 10 statement?
No, because Vazgen Manukyan only plays with the strings of the people's heart with his linguistic agility. "We will not reconcile with that statement", he said, immediately adding: "We can not refuse it".
2․ Do they solve the problems of the dead and wounded soldiers and the difficult problems of their families?
There is no evidence that they are concerned about these issues, that they will have a different approach than anyone in power.
They use the unspeakable grief and anger of those families and our people in general, as well as the frustration of some people with democracy to gain power.
To achieve what they could not achieve by the people's vote. That was the way the hitlers came to power in history.
3․ Do they solve the problem of a legitimate change of government?
No, they just demand that power be handed over to Manukyan and that's it.
4 ․ Do they solve the problem of endangered democracy?
No, because according to Manukyan, the Prime Minister and his team, that is, the government and the National Assembly, should leave and hand over power to Manukyan, in his words, for a year, without new elections.
We already see the signs of intolerance when Manukyan declares an agent of other states, that is, he declares traitor one of important part of the people, those who disagree with him and his friends. And he speaks of "cleansing" them. What do you think this means?
5․ Does it solve the issue of political legitimacy?
No, because they demand power for themselves and invite "angry" people to "mutilate" the prime minister.
6 ․ Are they solving the issue of saving for Artsakh and the people of Artsakh what can still be saved after the November 10 announcement?
No. Although Manukyan says he will do that, he does not criticize his allies, as a result of whose activities we reached this war. For more than twenty years, he and his friends of "17" have created a policy of resolving the Karabakh conflict, in which they have placed their hopes, the playing card, on war and not on peace, or have supported that mentality.
There is no reason to think now that after this our problem will be brought to a different result.
He condemns the Armenian diplomacy from the very beginning. Its price can be the loss of the rest.
7․ Have they not learned a lesson after this war and defeat on a historic scale?
Perhaps they have learned, but not the lesson that is clear to the rest of us.
As the President Armen Sargsyan and the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan did last August, Vazgen Manukyan and his friends are now declaring war on Turkey when Manukyan announces that Armenia will join a group of states against Turkey.
In general, Turkey operates with Russia. Turkey is Azerbaijan's undisputed ally and main supporter. Which countries will Manukyan negotiate with or take into account in order to get the maximum benefit from the November 10 announcement? Switzerland?
Manukyan and his friends do not have the slightest hint of vigilance and wisdom needed to get out of this situation.
The opposite. We see that instead of acknowledging the mistakes of the past, they try to show that they did not make mistakes. And it starts with the falsification of history and even the events of the immediate past.
8 ․ Do they solve the problem of strengthening the statehood?
In what way do they want to carry out this "strengthening" when they offer to ignore the Constitution, the National Assembly and establish a monopoly?
Vazgen Manukyan and his 17 partners do not solve any of these issues. What issue they solve, I leave to the reader's judgment. If it is true that Prime Minister Pashinyan should leave, it does not mean that his post should be taken by someone or a group who will not only do nothing but adventure in the field of foreign policy, but also have no respect for the Constitution, state structures and democracy.
The greatest damage in history has been done by those who acted as "saviors" and "living in pain of the people", and who demanded power on the basis of that "feeling", after receiving it, used it for evil.
Jirayr Liparityan
December 8, 2020”
