Hostage standoff in Armenia’s capital: worst time for such a step - Andranik Mihranyan

One could not find the worse time for such a step, Russia-based political scientist Andranik Mihranyan told Tert.am as he commented on the recent events and the current situation in Armenia’s capital.

“I do not know these people, but they lack any flair for politics. They lack any normal thinking. Even our enemies would never cause such great damage to our international reputation. While a coup in Turkey is being discussed, with Turkish authorities losing contacts with their people, [Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev is trying to exert pressure, was not it crystal clear that destabilizing the domestic political life in Armenia would weaken the Armenian leadership’s positions in discussing major problems in the international arena – the ones related to both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to the entire region and to the future.”

The Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents are now “hailing” the armed group that attacked a police building in Yerevan on Sunday and is now holding people hostages.

Even if the group members are discontented with problems, they should have considered the real state of affairs and ensuing consequences.

As to what steps need to be taken, Mr Mihranyan said:

“If anyone but Serzh Sargsyan were Armenia’s president, police would have stormed the building long ago, with ten to twenty people killed and the crisis thus resolved.”

Armenia’s authorities are trying to resolve the crisis by means of talks.

Mr Mihranyan does not rule out drastic measures if clashes between civilians and police continue.

“They caused a domestic political crisis, which, however, cannot be everlasting, especially in the context of preparations for meetings in France, with participation of the United States and Russia.”