Armenia's President resigns

[joluoto]

Armenian president resigns, citing lack of powers​

Armen Sarkissian has resigned, citing frustration with not having power to influence politics and dissatisfaction with PM Nikol Pashinyan. The country's political crisis that begun with the renewed conflict with Azerbaijan, where the Azeris retook much of previously lost territory has created a very unstable political climate. Regular street protests demand the resignation of the PM. There is nothing quite so devastating to your political carreer as losing a war.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Armenian president resigns, citing lack of powers​

Armen Sarkissian has resigned, citing frustration with not having power to influence politics and dissatisfaction with PM Nikol Pashinyan. The country's political crisis that begun with the renewed conflict with Azerbaijan, where the Azeris retook much of previously lost territory has created a very unstable political climate. Regular street protests demand the resignation of the PM. There is nothing quite so devastating to your political carreer as losing a war.

Given the weakness of Armenia, and the threat from Azerbaijan I can see Armenia seeking joining Russia as a autonomous member of the country. Especially as the US did nothing to stop Azerbaijan

 

[Juin]

Armenian president resigns, citing lack of powers​

Armen Sarkissian has resigned, citing frustration with not having power to influence politics and dissatisfaction with PM Nikol Pashinyan. The country's political crisis that begun with the renewed conflict with Azerbaijan, where the Azeris retook much of previously lost territory has created a very unstable political climate. Regular street protests demand the resignation of the PM. There is nothing quite so devastating to your political carreer as losing a war.

I get the impression President Armen Sarkissian's beef has to be with the Constitution itself. From what I have read it seems power is with the Parliament. A fact Sarkissian must have been aware of long before he took office of President. If he wants Constitutional changes there has to be formal avenues for that. Unless his whole charade is to shame Constitutional changes into place.

I have been baffled by the Armenian debacle to Azerbaijan. Is it that they sat on their laurels from decades ago and figured if they whipped the Azeris once, they could whip them anytime? The Azeris on the other hand appear to me to have nursed their grievances throughout the years and armed themselves for a rematch.

Armenia is ripe for the picking. By the bear that is. Armenia has two existential threats that are not going anywhere: Azerbaijan and Turkey. Nato is not an option for Armenia. Nato won't be poaching in the bear's backyard in the foreseeable future. Plus, it can be assumed Turkey will veto any Armenian accession to Nato. That leaves little Armenia at the tender mercies of the Turk and Azeri. Time for the bear to propose a relationship with Armenia

 

[joluoto]

I get the impression President Armen Sarkissian's beef has to be with the Constitution itself. From what I have read it seems power is with the Parliament. A fact Sarkissian must have been aware of long before he took office of President. If he wants Constitutional changes there has to be formal avenues for that. Unless his whole charade is to shame Constitutional changes into place.

I have been baffled by the Armenian debacle to Azerbaijan. Is it that they sat on their laurels from decades ago and figured if they whipped the Azeris once, they could whip them anytime? The Azeris on the other hand appear to me to have nursed their grievances throughout the years and armed themselves for a rematch.

Armenia is ripe for the picking. By the bear that is. Armenia has two existential threats that are not going anywhere: Azerbaijan and Turkey. Nato is not an option for Armenia. Nato won't be poaching in the bear's backyard in the foreseeable future. Plus, it can be assumed Turkey will veto any Armenian accession to Nato. That leaves little Armenia at the tender mercies of the Turk and Azeri. Time for the bear to propose a relationship with Armenia

Armenia has one ally and that's Russia, and Russia's value as an ally has diminished somewhat since the 90s, especially since the Russians themselves have lost interest in the conflict they used yo help instigate and feed the fire. Russia now has investments and economical interests in Azerbaijan, unlike in the 90s, and just like that their old military ally that has very little economical value is not that interesting anymore.

 

[Juin]

Armenia has one ally and that's Russia, and Russia's value as an ally has diminished somewhat since the 90s, especially since the Russians themselves have lost interest in the conflict they used yo help instigate and feed the fire. Russia now has investments and economical interests in Azerbaijan, unlike in the 90s, and just like that their old military ally that has very little economical value is not that interesting anymore.

I am not so sure it is that Russia lost interest. My suspicion is that Armenia’s military success decades ago left them with a sense of confidence which did not see a need to be much more wary of the Turks and Azeris. That was a mistake.

And the geopolitics of the area is more complex than easy. Iran is probably going to increasingly become a major purchaser of Russian arms. And Iran appears to be not too hot with Turks and Azeris.

 

[SkyChief]

Given the weakness of Armenia, and the threat from Azerbaijan I can see Armenia seeking joining Russia as a autonomous member of the country. Especially as the US did nothing to stop Azerbaijan

Why should the US stop Azerbaijan?

 

[joluoto]

I am not so sure it is that Russia lost interest. My suspicion is that Armenia’s military success decades ago left them with a sense of confidence which did not see a need to be much more wary of the Turks and Azeris. That was a mistake.

And the geopolitics of the area is more complex than easy. Iran is probably going to increasingly become a major purchaser of Russian arms. And Iran appears to be not too hot with Turks and Azeris.

Remember Russia was the country that rushed to get the Azeris and Armenians to the peace table to end the conflict. The Russians really didn't like that it flare up again, unlike before when they were aggressively backing the Armenians (and intervened in Armenian politics every time it seemed like Armenia was going "soft" until about the 2010s when they suddenly stopped, at the same time they started to invest heavily in Azerbaijan).

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

I get the impression President Armen Sarkissian's beef has to be with the Constitution itself. From what I have read it seems power is with the Parliament. A fact Sarkissian must have been aware of long before he took office of President. If he wants Constitutional changes there has to be formal avenues for that. Unless his whole charade is to shame Constitutional changes into place.

I have been baffled by the Armenian debacle to Azerbaijan. Is it that they sat on their laurels from decades ago and figured if they whipped the Azeris once, they could whip them anytime? The Azeris on the other hand appear to me to have nursed their grievances throughout the years and armed themselves for a rematch.

Armenia is ripe for the picking. By the bear that is. Armenia has two existential threats that are not going anywhere: Azerbaijan and Turkey. Nato is not an option for Armenia. Nato won't be poaching in the bear's backyard in the foreseeable future. Plus, it can be assumed Turkey will veto any Armenian accession to Nato. That leaves little Armenia at the tender mercies of the Turk and Azeri. Time for the bear to propose a relationship with Armenia

Azerbaijan had oil and gas revenue to build its military. Armenia did not, and generally relied on Russia for protection. The last government pulled away from Russia, and towards the US and EU. That gave Russia little incentive to help Armenia in its fight vs Azerbaijan.

For protection it will have to enter a lasting and effective relationship with Russia, or it will be at the mercy of Azerbaijan for years to come

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Why should the US stop Azerbaijan?

Never said it should, I expect that when Armenia pulled away from Russia it expected the US would help it vs external enemies to a certain extent.

 

[Juin]

Remember Russia was the country that rushed to get the Azeris and Armenians to the peace table to end the conflict. The Russians really didn't like that it flare up again, unlike before when they were aggressively backing the Armenians (and intervened in Armenian politics every time it seemed like Armenia was going "soft" until about the 2010s when they suddenly stopped, at the same time they started to invest heavily in Azerbaijan).

I really dont know whether anyone is to blame but Armenians themselves.

 

[Juin]

Azerbaijan had oil and gas revenue to build its military. Armenia did not, and generally relied on Russia for protection. The last government pulled away from Russia, and towards the US and EU. That gave Russia little incentive to help Armenia in its fight vs Azerbaijan.

For protection it will have to enter a lasting and effective relationship with Russia, or it will be at the mercy of Azerbaijan for years to come

I agree.