On October 17, former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated that Azerbaijan is unlikely to make any concessions to Armenia and will continue to impose unreasonable demands as long as Armenia fails to present its own counter-demands.

Oskanian referenced a recent statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who remarked, "Azerbaijan wants Armenia's roads to be accessible to it, yet Armenia continues to remain under blockade." Oskanian described this statement as absurd, pointing out that a proper analysis of Azerbaijani discourse should have made this clear long ago. He emphasized that this realization comes despite warnings that had been issued over the past two years.

He criticized the Armenian government for its failure to anticipate that Azerbaijan would seek to extract maximum benefits without offering Armenia even minimal concessions. While acknowledging that inexperience may explain some missteps, Oskanian argued that it is unacceptable to ignore the expertise and warnings provided by seasoned professionals. He drew a parallel to a statement made in 2018 regarding the decision to start negotiations from a "new point," which, he contended, ultimately led to unfavorable outcomes for Armenia.

Oskanian further reiterated that following the disarmament of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan is unlikely to offer anything in return and will continue to make further demands. He expressed concern that the current Armenian leadership believes it can achieve results without advancing any demands of its own—an approach he considers deeply flawed. According to Oskanian, a key negotiating point should be the return of displaced residents of Karabakh, a demand that, he argued, would be acceptable to the international community and consistent with diplomatic norms.

Additionally, Oskanian stressed that this demand is crucial for Armenia's security, as it would help prevent Azerbaijan from blindsiding the Armenian authorities with further unreasonable demands. He concluded by stating that if the current government is unable to formulate a more effective negotiating strategy, it should step aside and allow more competent leadership to take charge.