The West needs a paper where the inclusion of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan will be recorded and where the formal agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be. They can use it to open Armenia’s border with Turkey and establish the so called peace and stability. However, the current situation does not allow this. Armenia’s former ambassador to the Netherlands, Dzyunik Aghajanyan, stated this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"As the previous 20 years have shown, Azerbaijan is a state completely incapable of reaching an agreement. However, taking into account its importance for the West—it’s not so much about oil and [natural] gas resources, but the role of a platform against Iran—, the West is ready to forgive everything and turn a blind eye to Baku's actions.

"Despite calls from the West, they are not ready to impose sanctions against dictatorial Azerbaijan, regardless of its aggression against Armenia. But what is happening is not possible without the agreement of Armenia. But the problem is that the [Armenian] people do not agree with it, and this ties the hands of the people sitting at the helm of Armenia. They fail to fulfill the obligations they came to power for, and what the war of 2020 was aimed at and the handing over of the border areas [of Armenia] later, through the so-called delimitation and demarcation through GPS," Aghajanyan emphasized.

She urged to consider today's events near Sotk village of Armenia’s Gegharkunik Province in that context.

"Part of Sotk has already been handed over to Azerbaijan, another part—no. It was announced earlier that those [gold] mines [at Sotk] were put into operation back in the 1990s by an English company, in which the family of the president of Azerbaijan also has a considerable share. Baku is trying to take over the mines and completely cut off Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh from each other, as this is where the second road to Nagorno Karabakh passes.

"The capture of Sotk [by Azerbaijan] will weaken Armenia's positions in the direction of Jermuk [city] and will be an opportunity for Armenia’s authorities to justify signing the paper [with Azerbaijan] at any cost, arguing that as if Armenia cannot resist and must give in.

"Baku needs a paper, as Nagorno-Karabakh was not included in Azerbaijan in any document before, and in that case this paper will be used in court proceedings. And that is why its signing should not be permitted," said the former Armenian ambassador.

In her opinion, the West needs these provocations in order to once again accuse the CSTO and Russia of not fulfilling their obligations and to justify the steps being taken to withdraw Moscow from the region.

"Besides, the military operations here will help the West on the Ukrainian front. It is no coincidence that the escalation [of tension here] coincided with the events taking place around Bakhmut [city in eastern Ukraine]," Aghajanyan noted.

She underscored the need for change of power in Armenia because, in her view, there are no “red lines” for the incumbent Armenian authorities, and they are ready to cede Armenian territories.

"Unless there is the [Armenian] people's consent, [Armenian PM] Pashinyan cannot fulfill the obligations set by the West. The provocations at Sotk and Azerbaijan's aggression earlier in September are aimed at changing public sentiment in Armenia in favor of a false peace agenda by signing a paper. The West will also put personal pressure on the prime minister of Armenia, who is in a difficult situation," said Aghajanyan.

She did not rule out that a paper on general principles might be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the details may be clarified as a result of military operations.

"In that case, we will face serious problems, which will complicate the future negotiation process," concluded the Armenian diplomat.