05.10.2023, Moscow.
Armenia lost all the pillars of its national idea with Karabakh, Turkologist, political scientist, senior researcher at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky said in an interview with The Essence of Time newspaper on September 20.
Nadein-Rayevsky noted that Armenia as a nation has always been based on three pillars. The first is religion, which for centuries allowed Armenians to preserve themselves as an ethnic group. But over time, there was a decline in religiosity and the authority of the church.
The second pillar of the Armenian people, according to Nadein-Rayevsky, is the demand that the Turks recognize the Armenian genocide. But this factor is also losing its acuteness now. The political scientist recalled that the current Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan said even before coming to power that Armenians should forget about the Turkish genocide.
“Well, the third pillar of the national idea of Armenians is Nagorno-Karabakh. It is in Nagorno-Karabakh that the religious values of the Armenian people, the most ancient monuments, first and foremost, several monasteries: Dadivank, Gandzasar – as in general a very important center of the Armenian religion, which is hundreds and hundreds of years old, are located,” Nadein-Rayevsky said.
The political analyst recalled that Azerbaijanis tried to destroy Gandzasar during the first Karabakh war. Then it turned out that this monastery is much older than previously thought. Armenian cross-stones dating back to the 12th century were found during the removal of the rubble after the bombardment.
“And now all three, so to speak, pillars of Armenians as a nation as a people are either lost or in the process of disappearing. This is really a serious blow to Armenia, and this is really a national tragedy of the Armenian people,” Nadein-Rayevsky said.
Azerbaijan launched a military operation in Karabakh on September 19. On September 20, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to disarm the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and withdraw heavy equipment. Local residents are leaving Karabakh by the thousands and going to Armenia.
On September 28, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh signed a decree that the republic will cease to exist as of January 1, 2024.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
