ArmInfo.Talking to reporters in Yerevan's Liberty Square, Armenia's former foreign minister Ara Aivazyan said no requirement of Artsakh's lower status was laid down when he was Armenia's minister of foreign affairs.
"If we act with prudence, we could ensure a minimum," he said.
The diplomat said that he agreed to the post of foreign minister being sure Armenian diplomacy would succeed in reaching certain agreements and ensure Armenia's national interests.
"I would not like to make assessments now, but I think much was done and we managed to ensure certain accents by the international community," he said.
Commenting on the developments during the last year, Mr Aivazyan said:
"It was not so when I was minister. You will recall the co-chairs made several statements – on December 3, April 13, and the accents of the statements were in full conformity with our national interests."
According to him, peoples' self-determination was among the priorities.
Mr Aivazyan is sure that after analyzing the situation one can see the process would have never ended in war.
"Can you see what is going on around us? The ongoing geopolitical processes are involving not only Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is much more serious. Armenia could appear the weakest state in the South Caucasus, but much depends on Armenia's position in the context of the region's geopolitical future," Mr Aivazyan said.
As to the Azerbaijan-proposed five points, he said: "I am sure that by diplomatic means we can ensure a minimum if we take reasonable steps – even in this grave situation. We have human resources, former foreign ministers with great experience. I think we must mobilize all our national potential."
As regards withdrawal of troops on both sides, Mr Aivazyan is sure that the process was a tactical blunder committed by the Armenian side. He said that the issue was first raised on May 27, and he resigned a few hours later. "There was theorizing about border delimitation and demarcation. I had a negative opinion. I think the mutual withdrawal of troops was a tactical blunder on our part because, you will recall, specifically addressed statements had been issued before May 27. And the last statement by the U.S. Department of State was a strong-worded one. It was preceded by statements by France, the EU, Germany, Canada, India and Iran," he said. As to whether effective solutions to the Artsakh problem could be found through removal of Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his team, Mr Aivazyan is confident that the situation can be remedied by diplomatic means. However, it is a long and hard process.
"I say again, a geopolitical gamble is extremely dangerous to us now," he said. As regards the concerned over the so-called Zangezur corridor, which could be a precondition for a peace agreement with Azerbaijan, Mr Aivazyan said he is not involved in the negotiations.
"At least, when I worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no document or idea was proposed to us. I only heard on regular occasions that Azerbaijan was stating it had proposed peace," he said. As to normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, Mr Aivazyan points out a need for a dialogue, but not by setting preconditions.
If the regional and other nations are interested in peace and stability, they should reject such categories as "winner" and "loser." "I do not see the forcing supporting Turkey and Azerbaijan are thinking so," he said.
Asked if he is supporting the Armenian premier's removal from power, Mr Aivazyan said he stated his opinion by resigning from the post of foreign minister.
Ara Aivazyan was appointed to the post on November 18, 2020, and resigned on May 27, 2021.