Pashinyan Justifies Thanking Aliyev Despite Public Anger Over Artsakh

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Thursday that he sees no problem with expressing gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for certain decisions that, in his view, have brought practical benefits to Armenia. He made the remarks during a press briefing while responding to questions from Ani Gevorgyan about a controversial statement by Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, who had earlier thanked Aliyev despite strong public criticism over Baku’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The issue has drawn sharp attention in Armenia because Aliyev recently awarded the title of hero to people described by Armenian officials and commentators as plotters and perpetrators of the ethnic Armenian cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Many Armenians consider such honors deeply offensive, given the mass displacement of the region’s Armenian population in 2023 and the long history of conflict between the two countries.

Addressing these concerns, Pashinyan said that he personally had also thanked the Azerbaijani leader in certain situations and did not believe that such gestures should be condemned when they are linked to specific decisions that help Armenia. He pointed to practical developments, including the delivery of grain and diesel fuel to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory and the opening of roads, as examples of steps he considered positive. According to the prime minister, criticizing Azerbaijan for these actions would be unreasonable.

Pashinyan’s comments come at a sensitive moment for Armenian politics and foreign policy. Since the collapse of Armenian control over Nagorno-Karabakh, his government has been pursuing a course aimed at reducing tensions with Azerbaijan and reshaping Armenia’s regional strategy. This approach has faced strong opposition from parts of society and from political groups that argue the government is making too many concessions after military defeats and humanitarian losses.

During the same briefing, Pashinyan again stressed that the Karabakh Movement, which emerged in the late Soviet period to push for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, should not continue. He repeated that his administration is firmly committed to this line and intends to keep following it.

"As Prime Minister, I am committed to this policy and will continue to implement it. If people disagree with this policy, I call on them to take to the streets and carry out a revolution [in Armenia]," Nikol Pashinyan noted.

The statement was striking because it openly challenged critics to mobilize publicly if they oppose his direction, underscoring how deep the divisions remain inside Armenia over relations with Azerbaijan and the future of the Karabakh issue. Supporters of the government argue that reopening transport routes and maintaining dialogue are necessary for Armenia’s economic stability and security. Opponents counter that such policies risk overlooking unresolved grievances and the suffering of displaced Armenians.

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