Opposition Rally in Yerevan to Support Unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh
On November 5, a rally in support of separatist Nagorno-Karabakh began in Yerevan’s central France Square with prayers offered by Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the head of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The rally called by the opposition aims to warn the Armenian authorities against signing a peace treaty that would make Nagorno-Karabakh a part of Azerbaijan.
Addressing the rally, the bishop said that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh must rely primarily on their strength and on God to counter the countries' major security threats. "We must act day and night tirelessly, putting aside our ideological and political differences and not waiting for the mercy of this or that power center. We should not stop making friends, but we should stop relying only on our friends," he added. "Unfortunately, political interests, double standards, and relative morality outweigh truth and justice. They often decide which nations have the right to have rights. Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians from around the world have the right to have rights, and that right is undeniable. Nagorno-Karabakh will never be part of enemy states," the bishop stressed.
During the rally, former Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan claimed, "During my tenure, the situation was different from the current one. Back then, the Foreign Ministry was on the right track, and today we should adhere to those principles. The Nagorno-Karabakh people's right to self-determination should be at the core of the conflict settlement," Ayvazyan explained. Asked whether he demands the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the diplomat said that rally was meant to defend the interests of Armenia and [separatist] Nagorno-Karabakh; thus, he decided to join it.