Zhirayr Liparityan: "Fear remains a part of the strategy of Armenian political thought"

Veteran of Armenian diplomacy, adviser to the first president of Armenia and negotiator on Karabakh in 1991-1997, Zhirayr Liparityan said that "Armenia must normalize relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, or else it will have to pack its bags and move somewhere."

In his opinion, Armenia should have a government that looks at its neighbors differently than it does now, not as enemies: “Armenia should normalize relations with everyone, since, ultimately, this ensures security. If the current mood remains, it will dominate hatred and fear. If these two main emotions are not analyzed, they will become the basis of Armenia's strategy. Now fear remains a part of Armenian political thought. "

It is necessary to establish relations with neighbors, to speak directly with Azerbaijan and Turkey, to learn to understand the neighbors, to realize why they answer "no" to something. This will give confidence that you are communicating not with the enemy, but with your neighbor, you understand his problems, Liparityan believes.

He recalled how in 1988 one of the Dashnak leaders said: "Armenia cannot be independent, otherwise the Turks will come and cut us all out." "But in this case, Armenia can never become independent. Either you find a way to communicate with them, or you yourself will have to pack your bags and move somewhere," Zhirair Liparityan is convinced.