What is the code of the Armenian nation?

- The statements of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the failure of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, American-Armenian maneuvers against the background of Yerevan’s refusal to participate in the CSTO exercises, the Rome Statute of the ICC, which is going to be ratified by the Armenian Parliament (the situation at the time of the conversation. Now the Rome Statute has already been ratified — Ed.), etc. Why does the Armenian leadership behave like this?

- It is necessary to study the actions of all sides: the Armenian side itself, plus the Americans and the British, who are competing with the Americans in these territories of Transcaucasia, having squeezed out the French from the territory of Georgia and Armenia. The influence of continental Europeans is leaving. Competition between the British and the Americans and their confrontation with Russia increases. The Turan project and Turkey’s use of Azerbaijan as a tool, Iran’s actions — all this is «in one bottle». And here it all boils down to the words: «Pashinyan said — Pashinyan did».

He came to power with anti-Russian rhetoric. Then he got votes. They say that it was the Armenian people who elected him for the second time. It’s nothing like that! Yesterday Ashot Grigoryan called me from Bratislava and told me such a story. After the elections, his friend, who has access to the database, laughing sadly, asked him a question: «How did you vote?» Ashot replied, «For Kocharian». «But in the database your vote is for Pashinyan». It was a pure deception, so don’t blame the Armenian people for choosing him. Those who say this know very well that it is not true.

Russia’s «waltzing» with Azerbaijan and Turkey has created a certain tension in Armenia and well-founded fears that strategic positions in Armenia will be surrendered for gas and business interests. In this regard, it is unfair to blame Armenians who, in my view, naively tried to look the other way. But for Armenians to think that the Americans or the French will intercede for them instead of us is so naive and hurtful. Because 100 years ago they didn’t intercede. Their ships don’t go over the mountains. Yes, I am an ethnic Armenian, but I just realize that this is a naive position. And we needlessly ignore the fact that Western NGOs have been working in Armenia for years, which have been tuning the Armenian society in an anti-Russian direction, while Russia itself gives them food and reasons — while Westerners are also active in Baku, where they have even more serious positions than in Yerevan.

The Armenian parliament ratifies the Rome Statute, so what? Russia signed the Rome Statute before Armenia, but did not ratify it. And Armenia ratifies it in order to present claims to a number of people in Azerbaijan. That’s right. The accusatory material is prepared. It is true. Including in the human rights office: regarding the executions of prisoners of war, as well as certain figures in Azerbaijan.

I am not justifying Nikol Pashinyan. It’s just that Armenians watch Efendiyev speaking practically on behalf of Azerbaijan and with all sympathy for Ukraine telling what a terrible, shaggy and disgusting aggressor Russia is, and Russia keeps complete silence in response. Neither notes, nor summons of ambassadors.

But Armenia is just about to ratify the Rome Statute, and the ambassador is immediately summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Armenia sees this imbalance. We are the only ones who do not monitor Azerbaijan’s behavior within the GUAM framework.

I am not saying that we should break up with Azerbaijan. It would be foolish if someone accuses me of that. I understand how slowly, but fundamentally, this unjustified conflict between two nations that have been saving each other from invasions and standing with their backs to each other for centuries needs to be smoothed out. It should be remembered. As G. Gurdjieff said: «Remember yourself». When nations remember themselves, all these speculations will go away. But not now, when there is a tough confrontation. And there’s blood again.

- Why Armenia, surrounded by hostile states, does not lose its statehood? What is the code of the Armenian nation?

- I will answer this question partially and not in Armenian. From my point of view, while there were so-called “dark ages” in Europe, there was a very high prosperity in West Asia. Then the passionarity of Armenians was high enough, which gave birth to many geniuses in the V-XI centuries. A. Losev wrote about this period very well, analyzing the phenomenon of the philosopher David Anakht, who is not unreasonably suspected to be the anonym of Dionysius Areopagite, even the first letters of his name coincide, and Areopagite is the pinnacle of Christian Theology. At that time the Armenian alphabet was being created. The phenomenon of Armenianness as such was created. This phenomenon was created in no small part by the Parthian elite. Even the baptizer of Armenia Gregory the Illuminator was a Parthian. Iranian civilization created friendly projects for itself, in particular, the Jewish one — Cyrus the Great, having freed the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity, returned them to the Holy Land, moreover, signed a decree to restore the destroyed temple. This epoch of V-XI centuries created the Armenian matrix. The Armenian matrix is created like a diamond, but it can be drowned in a swamp, mycelium.

Armenians are not on their own. All peoples are connected to each other because we are the unified fabric of humanity. “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved with mankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.”

And without exalting Armenians, but without belittling them either, it is a very interesting phenomenon that existed as a balancer between the two largest civilizations: the Orthodox Roman and Iranian. And now it can exist alongside the Russian civilization, which has adopted the best features of the political civilization.

Russian politics is fundamentally different from Byzantine politics — it preserves any identity. Armenians and Georgians have been preserved culturally and recognizably, even in terms of appearance, although an ordinary person will not be able to distinguish between an Armenian, a Georgian and an Azerbaijani. But these are different ethnic groups, and even churches are different. They created two nations, two independent cultures next to such giant states as Russia, Iran and Turkey. This means that it was favorable for the same giants.

I do not consider the Muslim East hostile — everyone is different. Syrian Muslims have a deep respect for Armenian and Syrian Christians. And if there are disputes between Syrian and Armenian Christians, it is the Muslims who come to the aid of the Armenians. Everything is quite different on earth.

There is something main, deep: the soul will not let us lie, deceive ourselves. Honesty, reliability, decency, chivalry — these are religious universal qualities. And we will cooperate with a person of such qualities, regardless of his religious affiliation. For our part, we will not interfere with him with our rules. We will exist together in our country, and we will agree with the others.

However, recent events in Karabakh have caused concern in the capitals of the Global South, which could bring reputational losses to Russia.