"Artsakh is between two stones": The Primate of Artsakh Diocese

The people of Artsakh are between two stones, Armenia and Azerbaijan, receiving negative information from both sides. The Primate of the Artsakh diocese, His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, stated this in an interview with NEWS.am.

The Primate of Artsakh diocese noted that a week of joint prayer has been announced in Artsakh. Every day at 19:00, the people of Artsakh hold a joint prayer service in all the churches of the Artsakh diocese.

“From the very beginning, after the war, we had a slogan, that hope never shames a person. Hope in God and through our clergy, we are trying to make it clear to our people not to look for a happy life and a bright future elsewhere, that living on our land is happiness. “We are trying to make our people understand that the reality is that you are fighting, having a prayer to God with you, relying on your strength,” said the Holy Father.

According to the Primate of the Artsakh diocese, every negative information that the people of Artsakh, who survived the war, receive from Armenia or Azerbaijan, falls into a difficult psychological situation:“In order to alleviate this difficult situation, better information is needed, but I cannot say that this is how it works. Artsakh is located between two stones, Azerbaijan and Armenia, we receive negative information from both sides. We are now looking for in what direction and for what purpose to direct our steps. I think that it should be clear that the people of Artsakh and those who live here continue to live in spite of our enemy.”

When asked if the expectations from Armenia are not positive for the people of Artsakh, he answered. “This mentality was not formed yesterday. We observe after the war that no steps were taken by the government. We see that only the Supreme Patriarch came to Artsakh, came to say a spiritual word to his people. And not a single high-ranking official even tried to set foot here.”

Speaking about the statement of the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Artsakh in the National Assembly, the Primate of the Artsakh diocese said. “He did not need to speak words or speak from a high rostrum, we knew his position without words, it was already clear. The people know this, the authorities of Artsakh know this, unfortunately.”

When asked how he sees the future of Artsakh, the Primate of the Artsakh diocese said that there have always been such situations in the history of Artsakh: “I think, wisdom and our faith in God, why not, countries with good neighborly relations will appear these days, and we will be able to deal with them.»

When asked whether the people of Artsakh place their hopes on Armenia, he said that they always place their hopes on Armenia. “Armenia is different, the government is different. Our case is with people. I'm not a politician, but I say what I see."

The Primate of the Artsakh diocese considered impossible the future of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan.

And to the questions whether Armenia recognizes Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, what are the moods in Artsakh, whether the inhabitants think about joining the Russian Federation, the Primate of the Artsakh diocese answered: “People understand that the current Armenian authorities did not express their opinion yesterday, it was part of their thoughts, but it was not the time to show it.”