Recently, 24TV hosted Hayk Nahapetyan, a reserve lieutenant colonel and military expert, to discuss a range of pressing issues: the verdicts delivered by the Baku court against Armenian prisoners of war, the redistribution of forces in the region, the interests of major powers, and Armenia\u2019s domestic political developments.<\/p>\n
According to the military expert, the Baku court\u2019s verdict against Ruben Vardanyan \u2014 sentencing him to 20 years in prison \u2014 should be viewed not only from a legal perspective, but also as a political act. Azerbaijan\u2019s President, Ilham Aliyev, has consistently framed the events in Karabakh as an \u201canti-terrorist operation,\u201d a characterization that, in effect, reshapes the status of the detainees. Nahapetyan argues that such terminology enables Baku to portray them not as prisoners of war, but as criminals, with all the legal and political consequences this implies.<\/p>\n
The expert underscored the significance of the October 6, 2022, statement made in Prague, when Armenia\u2019s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recognized the principle of Artsakh being part of Azerbaijan. In his assessment, that move created a new international environment in which Azerbaijan was able to present its actions as matters of internal security.<\/p>\n
Referring to the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 \u2014 the ceasefire agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh \u2014 Nahapetyan noted that it was followed by preparations for a second large-scale military operation, which required appropriate political and legal groundwork. In his view, that groundwork was laid through a combination of political decisions and carefully constructed legal formulations.<\/p>\n
The role of the United States was also addressed. The expert recalled the regional visit of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, emphasizing Azerbaijan\u2019s strategic importance to Washington. He also pointed to Section 907 of the U.S. Freedom Support Act, noting that the lifting of its restrictions opened the way for expanded technical cooperation with Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n
Nahapetyan stressed that in international politics, legal terminology often serves as a tool to justify the use of force. The concept of \u201cpeace,\u201d he argued, can be viable only in the context of genuine and balanced mediation.<\/p>\n
During the discussion, Armenia\u2019s announced military procurements were also examined. The expert criticized the manner in which they were publicly presented, stating that defense capability cannot be reduced to numbers and declarations alone. It requires a systemic management culture and a coherent, long-term strategy.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, Nahapetyan touched upon church\u2013state relations. Recalling that the Constitution enshrines the separation of church and state, he warned that breaching this boundary risks deepening public polarization. In his view, the country\u2019s strength depends not only on foreign policy calculations but equally on domestic institutional stability.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n