"A blow to sovereignty": The loss of Syunik will be a terrible disaster for Armenia: opinion

Against the background of internal political instability and geopolitical pressure, a real threat of loss of sovereignty hangs over Armenia. Turkey and Azerbaijan are promoting projects that could lead to the loss of control over the territories linking Armenia with Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, said Petro Shakaryan, Doctor of Political Science, Professor at the American University of Armenia (AUA).

According to the expert, the attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church, the arrest of philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan and the persecution of the clergy should be considered not only as an element of internal repression, but also as part of a broader geopolitical strategy.

"Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan deliberately acts against independent institutions that have high moral authority in society. Despite attempts to assure the public to the contrary, the language used, for example, in relation to Etchmiadzin, indicates clear disrespect. This fits into the model of behavior of leaders who came to power on the wave of "color revolutions", which then begin to suppress spiritual and national foundations," Shakaryan said on the Review program, VERELQ reports.

Pashinyan's actions are largely dictated by the interests of the West, which seeks to weaken the influence of BRICS and Iran. The "Crossroads of the World" initiative promoted by Yerevan is actually part of a broader project of Turkey and Azerbaijan, known as the "East-West" or "Zangezur Corridor":

"This corridor is a threat to Armenia's sovereignty. It can deprive the country of direct access to Iran and weaken its connection with the Eurasian Economic Union."

In addition, the creation of such routes without Armenian control disrupts the balance of power in the region and threatens the eastern part of Armenia, especially in the context of the loss of Artsakh.

Pashinyan's recent statement in Istanbul, where he expressed readiness for cooperation within the framework of regional corridors and actually removed the threat status from the Turan project, is of particular concern.

The expert calls this position "extremely naive," recalling that the Pan-Turkism underlying Turan has historically been associated with the Armenian Genocide: "The implementation of this project threatens the very existence of Eastern Armenia."

Despite the limited resources of Turkey and the ambiguous attitude of the elites of Central Asia, the threat is real. Especially considering that Azerbaijan is actively involved in anti-Iranian actions, including cooperation with Israel in attacks on Iran.

A similar model has already been implemented in Georgia. During the reign of Mikhail Saakashvili, Turkish capital entered Adjara without restrictions. As a result, the region's economy turned out to be dependent on Ankara, and Erdogan said that Batumi "belongs" to Turkey.

"Armenia risks repeating the Georgian scenario if it does not build a foreign policy with an eye to protecting national interests," the expert warns and emphasizes that Pashinyan's path does not lead to Europe, as he claims, and to dependence on Turkey.

Shakaryan is convinced that a solution is still possible — provided that the Armenian people show political will and change their leadership.:

"The current government is either incompetent or poses a direct threat to national security."

The loss of Artsakh (Nagorno—Karabakh - Ed.) was a blow, but the loss of Syunik could be a disaster. At the same time, Russia and Iran, despite their own interests, are not interested in the final loss of Armenian territories, which opens a window of opportunity for Yerevan — provided that a new leadership capable of defending Armenian sovereignty is formed, the expert concludes.