Radar Armenia's interlocutor is Armen Khachatryan, a member of the ANC board.
- Mr. Khachatryan, what impression did you get from Robert Kocharyan's press conference?
- A press conference without content, where thoughts and information unrelated to reality predominated, which is not surprising by and large, and it was natural that Robert Kocharyan would convey information far from reality. As for particular topics, they were more of an attempt at weak justifications than an opportunity to answer questions substantively. In particular, I mean Meghri and...
- Regarding the expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh from the negotiations, he said that he did not expel it.
- For the public not to consider what I said as subjectivism, we always refer to the facts—fact 1. Artsakh participated in both versions of 1997 under their leadership. During the "Common State," which had already become a subject of examination during the presidency of Robert Kocharyan, Artsakh had its voice and position as a participant in the conflict. In Key West, oh no, Artsakh no longer exists; it does not exist. And that so-called Meghri option... naturally, Meghri exists, but no one gave it. Still, from those conversations and discussions around Meghri, a monstrous plan emerged: to leave Nagorno-Karabakh out of the negotiations and transfer the issue to the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiation field. It is here that Nagorno-Karabakh was left out of the talks. This fact can be fought with only one counterargument: that it must be proven that Robert Kocharyan was not the president of Armenia during that period. In other cases, it is impossible to ignore factual data or statements of facts or turn them upside down.
- Why is Kocharyan in no hurry to leave politics? On the contrary, he hints at participating in the elections.
- I have expressed my opinion on this many times. There is a political symbiosis between the current government and Robert Kocharyan and the political union he leads when these two give each other breath and blood. Nikol Pashinyan is the one who gets into trouble, judges Robert Kocharyan, and Robert Kocharyan speaks from Karabakh. Let everyone assess whether it is a fixed game or a natural alliance. It is evident that as long as Robert Kocharyan is in the political arena, Nikol Pashinyan will have fresh air and oxygen to extend his power or make similar attempts.
- In your opinion, does Robert Kocharyan have a chance to return and come to power?
- Robert Kocharyan was in power in Armenia in one case when he had all the administrative and state resources at his disposal. Through that, he had the opportunity to rig the elections. Both in the 1998, 2003, and 2008 elections, when he handed over power to Serzh Sargsyan, ensuring his safe existence, he resorted to the possibilities of the state machine, the criminal field that is surrounded by it, the criminal oligarchic system and the enormous amounts of electoral bribery. So, Robert Kocharyan has never been elected president and has never had the opportunity to assume the reins of power in Armenia again.
Hayk Magoyan
