WHY KOCHARYAN LEFT FOR IRAN

Lragir.am
22/01/10

In an interview with Lragir.am in connection with Robert Kocharyan’s
visit to Iran, the coordinator of the Armenian National Congress gave
the following comments saying that it is connected with the NKR issue
and Kocharyan left for Iran by Serge Sargsyan’s order.

Everything is pretty clear. This visit shows that `toasts become more
expensive’. Serge Sargsyan is apparent not to have any more the
assistance of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs including Russia. Hence,
as a last attempt to prevent unnecessary developments, he tries to
activate the factor of Iran. Naturally, he cannot do all that through
direct contacts because it will be felt badly by the co-chairing
countries. So Serge Sargsyan sent Robert Kocharyan with this mission
to Iran. This enables to carry out more or less serious developments
with the Iranian government and on the other hand to show to the
international community the lack of official character. This
phenomenon is famous in politics with the term `deniability’ which
means to deny the involvement in political process being at the same
time involved in them. This is a serious sign that in the NKR issue,
processes become more active, Serge Sargsyan’s regime is nervous and
lost the control on diplomatic processes. If you want, you may
consider this a step of despair.

Why was Robert Kocharyan speaking on behalf of the official Yerevan?

We have read about this in the Iranian press. Naturally, because
Robert Kocharyan was accepted as an ambassador sent by Serge Sargsyan,
Iran considers what he said the stance of the official Yerevan.

In your opinion, what can Iran do in relation to the NKR issue for
Serge Sargsyan to turn to Robert Kocharyan?

Even if Iran is not involved in the OSCE Minsk group work but it is a
powerful neighbor of Armenia and Azerbaijan which carries independent
policy and can have great influence on different processes. And so the
government tries to activate the last, in their opinion, factor with
the help of this circumstance.

Will the government manage to activate it?

It is difficult to say. But it is obvious that this was a desperate
step and it shows that quite a serious process is taking place in the
NKR issue. And the NKR settlement is close to be over.

In your opinion, why did right Robert Kocharyan leave for Iran?

There is a simple reason. They could not send any Armenian official,
but at the same time, they needed someone who was able, from the point
of their status, to meet with the Iranian president and the Speaker.
In other words, he was the only candidate. Serge Sargsyan is obvious
to refuse all this but it is understandable to be a part of the plan.
No one would have met with Robert Kocharyan in Iran if there were no
diplomatic preparative works before.

Presuming that all this happened with Serge Sargsyan’s approval, does
it not mean they try to get Kocharyan back into active politics?

At all. Serge Sargsyan will never let Kocharyan be back.

Will the international community not understand all this?

The international community understands that this was a desperate
diplomatic game. But no one will accuse Armenia because the latter has
the possibility, as I have already said, to refuse its involvement in
political process being involved in them. There will be some negative
response but it will be softer.

Interview by ARMAN GALOYAN