Sunday’s Sermon: Jesus vs. Fear

Rev. Avedis Boynerian graciously forwards me his Sunday service sermon ahead of time. Rev. Avedis Boynerian had titled this past Sunday’s, April 11, 2026, sermon "Jesus vs Fear." With his permission, I reproduced the sermon below and linked to the "When Peace, Like a River", hymn that was on the order of this past Sunday’s service. Vaհe H Apelian

 

The sermon

"Have you ever locked a door not just for safety, but because you were afraid?

Afraid of what might happen?

Afraid of what might come next?

Afraid of what you cannot control?

Sometimes those doors are made of anxiety… uncertainty… bad news… and fears we don’t talk about.

And that’s exactly where we find the disciples in our text (John 20:19-21) (see below)

It’s the evening of resurrection day.

The tomb is empty…

But the disciples are not celebrating.

They are hiding.

The doors are locked.

Fear has filled the room.

And fear still does that today

It locks doors…

It silences voices…

It convinces us that hiding is safer than living.

But here is the truth:

If Jesus does not wait for fear to end—He walks right into it.

 

1.- The disciples' fear locked the doors.

The doors were locked…” 

The disciples are afraid:

Of arrest and of what comes next

Fear is like a house with too many locks.

You lock one door… then another… then another.

Soon, you’re not just keeping danger out. You’re trapped inside.

That’s what fear does spiritually to us

It closes us off: It closes us off…

From people

From hope

Even from God

 

2.- Jesus stood among the disciples

“Jesus came and stood among them…”

He did not knock.

He did not warn.

He did not delay.

Jesus simply appears.

It's just like light entering a dark room.

Darkness doesn’t argue.

It doesn’t resist.

The moment light enters, darkness is gone.

That’s what happens when Jesus steps into our fear.

He doesn’t fight it …

He overcomes it by His presence.

That’s what happens when Jesus steps into our fear.

He overcomes it by His presence.

Because Jesus never promised a life without trouble—but He did promise something greater.

In John 14:27, He says:

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.”

Do you hear the difference?

The world gives peace based on circumstances.

If everything is going well—you feel peace.

If everything falls apart—peace disappears.

But Jesus says:

“My peace is not like that.”

The world says:

“Find peace when the storm stops.”

Jesus says: “You can have peace while the storm is still raging.”

The world’s peace is fragile—

it depends on what’s happening around you.

But the peace of Jesus is unshakable,

because it comes from who is with you.

That’s why when Jesus walked into that locked room

He didn’t change their situation right away—

Rome was still in power.

Danger was still outside. 

Uncertainty was still real.

But Peace Himself was now in the room.

And when the Prince of Peace is present, fear doesn’t have to be fought…

it loses its grip.

Because His peace is not something He explains. It’s something He brings.

 

3.- Jesus greets the disciples by saying, “Peace be with you”

He did not lecture.

He did not rebuke.

That’s what happens when Jesus steps into fear.

The world says: “Find peace when the storm stops.”

Jesus says: “You can have peace while the storm is still raging.”

He said, “Peace be with you.”

Imagine a child in the middle of a violent storm.

Thunder shakes the house.

Wind hits the windows.

The child is terrified.

But then the father walks into the room…

sits beside the child…

and simply says, “I am here.”

And that changes everything.

The storm may still be outside,

But peace has entered the room.

That’s what Jesus does.

 

4.- Jesus showed His wounds to His disciples

“He showed them His hands and His side…” The scars still remained.

A soldier once returned home from war with visible scars.

At first, he tried to hide them.

But over time, those scars became something else—

Not shame…But proof.

Proof that he survived the war.

Proof that he endured the war.

Proof that he overcame the war.

The wounds of Jesus are not signs of defeat. They are evidence of His victory.

 

5.- Here is a wonderful story called “The hospital Room”

A woman once sat alone in a hospital waiting room.

Her husband was in surgery.

Hours passed.

Every time the door opened, her heart raced.

Fear overwhelmed her:

What if he doesn’t make it? What if everything changes tonight?

She tried to pray, but the words wouldn’t come.

She said later: I felt like I was sitting in a locked room inside my own heart.”

Then something happened…

A quiet sense came over her—not loud, not dramatic.

Just a deep awareness:

“You are not alone. I am with you.”

There was no voice she could hear.

There was no visible sign.

But she knew Jesus was with her.

She said: “The situation didn’t change immediately, but I did - I changed.”

That’s what the presence of Jesus does.

He may not remove the situation instantly, but He transforms you within it.

6.- The disciples’ fear turned into joy

“The disciples were glad when they saw (Jesus).”

Nothing outside changed.

But everything inside did change...

Because seeing Jesus changes everything.

 

7.- From fear to mission   

Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

The same disciples who were hiding… are now being sent.

Fear says: “Stay where it’s safe.”

Jesus says: “Go where I send you.”

Where are your locked doors?

A fear you don’t talk about?

         A burden you carry alone?

         A situation you cannot continue?

You don’t have to fix it first.

You don’t have to unlock everything. Ask Jesus to step in…

Right into your fear.

Right into your uncertainty.

Right into your life.

He still says: “Peace be with you. My peace I give you.”

Resurrection means:

Jesus is not distant.

He is near.

He is present.

He is present in your fear.

He is present in your struggle.

He is present in your storm - whatever that may be.

Yes, the doors were locked, but Jesus still came in.

(And the same Jesus, 

who walked into that fearful room—

Can walk into your life today.

Yes, He can walk into your life today.

(So don’t let fear define your future,

Because when Jesus enters the room,

Fear doesn’t stand a chance

Your doors - whatever they may be, they are not locked to Jesus."

Note:

—-

 

 

Randal Pinkett: Donald loves Donald

Vaհe H Apelian

President Trump erupted at the Pope and drew backlash, reported NY Times today. The incident remained me of what Randal Pinkett, an Apprentice winner, said about Donald Trump I had captured in a blog. I reproduced it below. 

I have not seen a single episode of the popular The Apprentice, the American reality television series. But like most adult Americans, if not all, I had heard of the popular television series. 

Randal Pinkett is one of The Apprentice’s winners. I came to know about him in the Netflix documentary, “Trump, An American Dream.” I have watched that documentary more than once to get to learn more about Donald Trump, although I did not vote for him. But his policies will affect me no less.  As to Randal Pinkett, it turns out that he is a distinguished person in his own right. I quote Wikipedia ;” with an education background in engineering and business, Pinkett is both a Rhodes Scholar and a Walter Byers Scholar, and hold five academic degrees. Before entering the reality show, Pickett had already established a career in business and had become the co-founder of business consulting firm BCT Partner in 2001. As winner of The Apprentice season 4 in December 2005, Pinkett undertook a yearlong apprenticeship with Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City, New Jersey.”

This is what Randal Pinkett said about Donald Trump in the Netflix documentary “Trump, an American Dream.”

“I remember the day I arrived at the Trump Tower for my first day of apprenticeship. Donald was seated at his desk in his office at Trump Tower. He had this stack of magazines and newspapers on his desk, each of them had a Post-it note, a little yellow note inside it. He would grab one the stacks and he’d put it on his desk, and he’d open to the Post-it note and he’d read and he’d close it and grab the next one. I’m thinking “what is it, current events, stocks?” So I leaned as he’s going through this ritual, and he did not stop it while we’re talking, he continued with it. I see each one of the Post-it note was placed in the magazine or newspaper to an article about Donald Trump, that Donald Trump was basically reading about himself and that someone’s job is to gather all these materials, I suspect on a daily basis for Donald to read about Donald because Donald loves Donald. 

Donald runs his company with a very tight-knit inner circle, very tight. Primarily his children. He trusts them. They trust him. There’s a level of loyalty that’s “beyond just business”, but rather blood relationship that they have and I believe he looks them his much-trusted confidantes. Ivanka seemed to be the one who was most prominent among his children. I think he trusts the most. 

Donald’s philosophy in business is very adversarial. He believes that “for me to win, somebody has to lose.” The culture of the organization very much reflects that.”

My take is that the Donald Trump and the Trump family’s wealth came about in the aftermath of the World War II, and because of the economic policies America advocated. What a restrained global power America was at that time! The world history would have been much more different had any other power held the monopoly of the nuclear power, America did during and in the immediate aftermath of the WWII.

Thirty years before, in the aftermath of WWI, the European powers that ruled the world at the time, had dealt with Germany they had vanquished very harshly, imposing upon it inordinate harsh punitive terms, in the Paris Peace Conference of 1918 in Versailles, France. Yes, at that conference, the Wilsonian Armenia was dangled in front of the Armenians. Historians claim that it was those draconian punitive demands upon Germany that gave rise to the Nazis. 

But in the aftermath of WWII, America helped built Germany and Japan, it had vanquished, along with them the rest of Western world. In the words of the Winston Churchill, it was the doing of the English-speaking peoples of the United States and of England, that shaped a better future of the world on the west of the world portioned by an iron curtain. It was that American brand inclusive economy that also enriched America and enabled its post WWII inordinate economic growth, of which Trump family became a beneficiary. But it is this growth, that America built in the aftermath of WWII as its own of economic model, that Donald Trump is disturbing by imposing punitive tariffs and alienating NATO America will need, in this emerging multi-polar world order. 

The personalization of power that Donald Trump is pursuing,  is very concerning. 

I am reminded of Julius Ceaser and the demise of the Republic of Rome. In transitioning the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire, Ceasar did not become an emperor, nor the Senate was abolished. It was its legislative power of the senate and the institutional checks and balances of the republic that were being curtailed in favor of an individual, Julius Caesar. 

The average Roman citizens, caught in  their day to say struggles to make ends meet, might not even have remained aware of the historic change that was taking place in Rome, as it is happening in the U.S.A.

 

 

An audacious and an arrogant mindset

Vaհe H Apelian

 

If not anything else, it is undisputed that arrogance is indicative of inflated, not to say insecure, sense of self-importance and superiority. 

An audacious and an arrogant mindset drove those who organized the most recent Paris conference If you have any doubt of the veracity of my claim and want to conceptualize the mindset of the organizers of this conference, all you have to do is to read the very first sentence of the closing message Daron Der -Katchadourian delivered on behalf of the ARF about the conference that purported to be for and about Diaspora. It reads, “The Diaspora demands that Armenia's policy be guided by national interests”. (Սփիւռքը կը պահանջէ, որ Հայաստանի քաղաքականութիւնը առաջնորդուի ազգային շահերով” 

I am not even sure if this conference was organized by ARF, as one envisions the functioning of an organization, or it was put together by a vocal elements in the ARF, who have anointed themselves as the righteous guardians of all things Armenian. Obviously, the recent conference I referred to is the conference that was held in Paris from April 11-12, 2026. The organizers of the conference have labeled the conference “Diaspora Mobilizing Conference.” 

Nowhere I read that ARF has organized a conference in Paris, although the ARF press heralded it. Most of the participants of this conference appear to be members of the ARF or affiliated to it. Surely some were driven by the historic good name of ARF, and took part in the panels.  I am not sure if they realized that this conference had an undertone, to help ARF prepare the Diaspora against the present government Armenia, whose PM is running for election as the incumbent. If you doubt the veracity of this claim of mine as well, look for Murad/Patrick Papzaian’s recorded comment that cautions, if not warns of doom and gloom for Armenians should the citizens of Armenia elect Nikol Pashinyan led Civil Contract party. Although he did not make any reference, but it is a fact that ARF in Armenia is led by Robert Kocharyan and is a member of the coalition Robert Kocharyan governs and directs.

It also is a fact of Armenian life, that Diaspora is wearing out. This is not my claim. Nor it is a new claim. It was a claim that Catholicos Aram made, according to records in 2017, in a sixth Armenian wide conference held in Yerevan, where he said, “Armenia is vacating and Diaspora is wearing out” («Հայաստանը Կը Պարպուի Սփիւռքը Կը Մաշի»). According to records immigration from Armenia has slowed down, especially after the popular revolt that brought the present government to power. But Diaspora wearing out is accelerating. Pick any standard that measures the heath of a Diaspora and ask for yourself. In which category of such measures, the Armenia Diaspora has made progress since 2017?. Also ask Youseff, if ARF does not bear responsibility in Diaspora’ wearing down. ARF cannot help in mobilizing Diaspora  to revitalize it, as long as ARF in the Diaspora, as a matter of principle and conviction, does not unconditionally stand with the government the citizens of Armenia elect, which at the present is PM Nilol Pashinyan and the Civil Contract party he leads. 

Diaspora is too complex an entity for any organization. The organizers of this conference said, they will meet again in a few months. It takes time and financial resources to organize such a conference. As long as the organizers have the time and they can secure the finances, the Paris April 11-12 conference may be held again, in Paris or anywhere else, at the organizers' hearts content. But that too will not serve the purpose it purports.  

 

 

 

Dedicated to Ara’s friend

Vaհe H Apelian

Today Ara Mekhsian posted a beautiful poem in his superb poetic language. I have always remained amazed that Ara Mekhsian has retained such a rich Armenian vocabulary and diction. The poem that he posted is titled “Faithful Friend”.

His poem reminded me of the Armenian classic song by Ashough Jivani, who in my mind is the Armenian version of a troubadour, the folk singer, songwriter who not only wrote the lyrics and composed the music for his songs, but also often sang himself. 

Ashugh Jivani is known for his song titled “ The Pari (kind), Keghetzig(beautiful), Arakini (virtous), Ungereh Martoun (man's friend).” 

The song nowadays is also sung in appreciating a friend in  a common cause. But it is claimed that Jivani dedicated his song to his wife. The lyrics give credence to the claim. Jivani lived from1846–1909. It is not likely that in the patriarchal manly Armenian culture, especially among the ordinary people Jivani came from, would have used attributes he used as kind (pari), beautiful (keghetzig), virtuous (Arakini), ungereh Martou (friend of the man) in reference only to a bosom male friend. Although the word “man” is used in its genderless sense, I believe, Ashough Jivani refers to a male's female friend as well, and not only a male friend. 

In the first two sentences of the song Jivani says, “the kind, beautiful, virtuous friend of a man, brightens his image like a sun”. He ends the song addressing himself and notes, “Ashugh Jivani, whoever has such a bosom friend, not a single strand of his hair will whiten”, and in middle he claims "if you devote your life to the good friend, still is not enough."  The song remains popular.

՚Although Ara Mekhsian made an introductory note to his poem that his poem is not specifically for his wife. But I will take the liberty and make the exception, and dedicate this blog and Ashoush Jivani’s song to Ara Mekhsian bosom friend, his wife Debra, whom my wife and I have not the pleasure of meeting in person. I imagine Ara Mekhsian will not mind.

I have linked to the song and attached the lyrics.

I attached the literal translation of the poem 

A good, beautiful, virtuous friend

Makes a person's image shine like the sun,

When a person has a faithful friend by his side,

The dark night, like daylight passes for the person.

 

It is not enough to dedicate your life to a good friend, 

Who is the spiritual lamp of the person,

A friend, I say, a steadfast, a true friend,

That always elevates the person.

 

When enemies come upon him,

A brave, true friend is a person's sword,

Whoever has a close friend, a lively soul,

Not a single strand of his hair whitens .

 

 Բնագիրը՝ 

Բարի, գեղեցիկ, առաքինի ընկերը մարդուն

Փայլեցնում է արևի պես պատկերը մարդուն,

Ինչ մարդ ունենա յուր մոտը հավատարիմ ընկեր,

Ցերեկի նման անցնում է մութ գիշերը մարդուն։

 

Կյանքդ նվիրես ընկերի լավին, քիչ է դարձյալ,

Այնպես է հոգեկան լուսատու լապտերը մարդուն,

Ընկեր եմ ասում, հաստատակամ, ճշմարիտ ընկեր,

Որ բարձրացընե աստիճանը միշտ վերը մարդուն։

 

Թշնամիները իր վերա գալած ժամանակը,

Կտրիճ, հարազատ ընկերըն է սուսերը մարդուն,

Ով որ ունենա մտերիմ ընկեր, Ջիվան աշըղ,

Չի սպիտակիլ ամենևին մեկ հերը մարդուն։

 

 

Celebrating Easter on April 12, 2026

Greek Orthodox celebrating Easter

The Greek Orthodox Church is the second-largest Christian denomination in Lebanon, comprising approximately 8–10% of the population. While the Maronite Church is larger, the Greek Orthodox community is a major, influential, and highly urbanized group, particularly prominent in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the Koura region, quoting Wikipedia.

Tomorrow, on April 12, 2026, the adherents to the Greek Orthodox denomination in Lebanon, will be celebrating Easter. This is one week after Western Easter (April 5, 2026). The Greek Orthodox Church uses a hybrid system, employing the Revised Julian Calendar (or New Calendar) for "fixed" feasts (like Christmas on December 25) and the traditional Julian Calendar for "moveable" feasts, most importantly Easter/Pascha. This means they usually celebrate Christmas with Western churches but Easter at a different time

The Armenians celebrated Easter last Sunday, on April 5, 2026. The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Easter (Surb Zatik) on Sunday, April 5th. Unlike many Eastern Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar, the Armenian Church generally uses the Gregorian calendar for calculating holidays, often aligning its Easter celebration with the Western (Catholic/Protestant) date, which the adherents of the Armenian Catholic and Armenian Protestant communities follow. Consequently, all Armenians, irrespective of their denominations, celebrate Easter on the same day, but Armenian Orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 6.

 However, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrates Easter according to the Julian calendar, which often differs from the Western Gregorian date and sometimes even from other Orthodox traditions. While the Armenian Church elsewhere often uses the Gregorian calendar, in Jerusalem, they follow the Julian Calendar, typically celebrating on the same day as other Orthodox churches in the city.  Consequently, the Armenians in Jerusalem will celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 12, 2026. 

                                            ***

Julian vs Gregorian Calendars.

According to Wikipedia:

The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, is a solar-based dating system that replaced the Roman lunar calendar. It established a 365-day year with an extra leap day every four years, resulting in an average year of 365.25 days. While it stabilized timekeeping, it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582 due to a slight over-calculation. The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct the Julian calendar's inaccuracy. It is a solar calendar with 365 days, plus a leap day every four years (except for centurial years not divisible by 400), making it more precise, with an average year of 365.2425

The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is how they calculate leap years to align with the solar year. The Julian calendar adds a leap day every four years, while the Gregorian calendar skips leap years on centurial years not divisible by 400 (e.g., 1700, 1800, 1900). This makes the Gregorian calendar more accurate (1 day off in 3,030 years) compared to the Julian calendar (1 day off in 128 years).

 

 

 

Moscow is detached from South Caucasus reality.

Vaհe H Apelian 

It was apparent that Putin has lost his grip on the prevailing reality in the South Caucasus. During April 1, 2026 summit with Nikol Pashinya, Putin spoke of favored Russian and Armenian political relationship to the extent of suggesting that people with Armenian and Russian dual citizenship take part in the Armenian election. This is what Putin said: “And finally, in Armenia we have many friends, many, we know that. Many Armenians live in the Russian Federation. We can calculate differently, we consider it to be more than 2 million people. And the statistical data of our Ministry of Internal Affairs itself testify to this. And there are many political forces that have a pro-Russian position. Of course, I will tell you openly that we have such a dialogue that we always speak honestly and directly. We would very much like all these political parties, politicians to be able to participate in this domestic political work during the elections. Some, I know, are in places of detention, despite the fact that they have Russian passports. That is your decision, we do not interfere, but we would like them to at least be able to participate in this domestic political process.” (read the whole transcript below).

 In stating that, Putin did not take into consideration the Armenian constitution and Armenia’s next-door neighbors, particularly, Turkey and Azerbaijan, reaction to such a political relationship, next door. Simply said, Putin seems to have lost his grip of the political reality in the South Caucasus where Russia is no longer, the power broker it was once, having if not misused and abused its historic dominant role, it miscalculated the longevity of its political grip in South Caucasus by not upholding its natural ally Armenia at its recent most crucial period of history. 

Russia does not share a common border with Armenia, while Turkey and Azerbaijan have a choke hold border. The distance between Yerevan and Christian Moscow is 2237 Km. The distance between Yerevan and Muslim Baku is 695 km. The distance between Yerevan and Muslim Ankara is 1381 km, and between Yerevan and Mulim Tehran is 1150 km. Armenia’s political priority is to deal with its immediate Muslim neighbors than with its further away co-religionist Christian Russia, which, as said earlier, lost its influence in the South Caucasus heartland because of its historic and recent political failures, blinded by its outdated historical imperial mindset, 

My late uncle Antranig Chalabian was an advocate of a close Russian Armenian relations. But in 1988, he wondered and wrote, “Will the present-day Soviet rulers of glasnost and perestroika (openness and restructuring) be able to see the important role a greater and stronger Armenia can play in the political network of religious minded peoples on the southern borders of their empire? It remains to be seen.”  (see the link)

Had Antranig Chalabian been alive he would have found out that the post-Soviet Union Russia was not open or glasnot enough and did not restructure or perestroika its imperial mindset enough to see the important political role a stronger Armenia could have played at its southernmost border. Instead, Russia outright miscalculated that they can maintain their prominent historic role in the Caucasus without strong Armenia. Putin undermined Armenia, which has to prioritize its relations with its immediate Muslim neighbors. As a matter of fact, Armenia cannot have fruitful relations with Russia until it first cements peaceful relations with its immediate neighbors as stipulated in its Crossroad of Peace initiative.  

 Whether the upcoming election in Armenia will cement the Civil Contract driven and Nikol Pashinyan led Crossroad of Peace initiative with Armenia’s Muslim neighbors, will be seen. Even if the Civil Contract party loses the election, whoever assumes power will soon fall in line and will uphold the process, but with a loss for Armenia instead of a gain, the continuation of the policy would have with the Civil Contract party, that initiated and pushed the the Crossroad of Peace  with popular support.

                                        *** 

Link: Antranig Chalabian EMPERORS, TSARS and COMMISSARS https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/08/antranig-chalabian-emperors-tsars-and.html

 

Link: Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan meeting on April 1, 2026 in Moscow.

https://www.primeminister.am/en/press-release/item/2026/04/01/Nikol-Pashinyan-Vladimir-Putin/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRE0ZJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeCFD3xqD6TmuhjRBjs39iergDbXxQ5B5DDJsKONMPKR8nMk07r3h66o2yHCQ_aem_gYQAv-a5-mfmMr_JoRrrnw

 

 

 

 

Ir is not far-fetched

Vaհe H Apelian

 

Nikol Pashinyan has his Crossroad of Peace initiative for his re-election campaign platform. Hrair A Balian, in a recent CivilNet article, alluded to the campaign, claiming that that Nikol Pashinyan is making war and peace framing the central platform for his re-election campaign for the upcoming Armenia’s parliamentary election. Many other analysts and journalists have similarly alluded to the Nikol Pashinyan’s campaign platform, such as Tatul Hacobyan, an independent journalist, Eric Hacopian a notable political analyst and reporter affiliated with CivilNet. As 2026 election draws closer, Pashinyan warns of war to rally support, reported Hoory Minoyan in the Armenian Weekly. 

In my view, Nikol Pashinyan’s campaign platform is not something he brought forth out of his hat, nor it is far-fetched. Surely there is the understandable campaign rhetoric. After all, candidates campaign with poetry but govern with prose, as governor Andrew Cuomo famously said.

First and foremost, Crossroad of Peace, initiative is not an anti-Russian initiative, at all. Of course, Nikol Pashynian’s attitude towards Russia has changed since he assumed power. But it is not a hostile attitude but is much different than the one he framed on May 1, 2018 in his speech to the National Assembly which was to vote for a PM to replace PM Serzh Sargsyan who had resigned. In that speech Nikol Pashinyan said: "If I were to become prime minister, there would be no sharp turns in Armenia's foreign policy. Armenia will continue to remain a member of the EAEU and the CSTO. We considered and consider Russia a military-political ally, and this movement does not pose any threat to Armenia." But he also stated in the same breath that "We are deepening relations with the European Union; we will do everything to eliminate the EU visa requirement for Armenian citizens." (see the note below).

Surely, a lot transpired with Armenia from May 1, 2018 to the April 1, 2026 Armenia-Russia summit, which was not an exchange of blame – “Mutual blame on Artsakh, dissatisfaction with CSTO in Pashinyan-Putin meeting” – as  Hoory Minoyan trivially reported in the Armenian weekly. That summit, among other issues, had the sovereignty of Armenia as the contentious issue. 

The voters in Armenia have to take into consideration that since November 9/10, 2020, when Nikol Pashinyan/Armenia, Ilham Aliev/Azerbaijan, signed Armenia  capitulating ceasefire brokered by  Vladimiar Putin/Russia, much has transpired, which is well beyond the scope of this blog.

Throughout those, November 9/10, 2018 to April 1, 2016, PM Pashinyan had Armenia  categorically rule out war in favor of peace with its neighbors strategy, calling it Crossroad of Peace.. The peace has not been formally signed. But the fact of the matter is that a peaceful state is prevailing along the border. The last deadly clash on Armenia - Azeri border took place on February 13, 2024. No boarder guard has been reported killed by the enemy since; that is to say for the past 25 months and a bit more. We are not citing statistics here, but of young lives and grieving parents being spared.

Throughout the post November 9/10, 2020 to the the present, the opposition in Armenia mounted a ceaseless and a relentless attack to the peace process, alleging all sorts of excuses and resorting from sacking the PM’s office and the National Assembly Hall, and beating NA speaker Ararat Merzoyan, and then suddenly reversing course and blaming the PM for not upholding the very same tri-lateral accord, they opposed, PM Nikol Pashinyan had signed. 

The opposition also made the mass return and security of Artsakh Armenians the political raison d’etre of their opposition,and made the flag of now defunct Arsakh Republic, the symbol of their political stand. 

Should the opposition, who has been pursuing such policies for the past five years, come to power I imagine, more likely than not, the government it will form, will face a considerable backlash from Azerbaijan. 

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Note: « Իմ վարչապետ լինելոիւ դեպքում Հայաստանի արտաքին քաղաքանութեան մէջ կտրուկ շրջադարձեր չեն լինի, Հայաստնանը շարունակելու է մնալ ԵԱՏՄ եւ ՀԱԿՊ անդամ։ Մենք Ռուսաստանին համարել եւ համարում ենք ռազմաքաղաքական դաշնակից, եւ այս շարժումը որեւէ վտանգ չի ներկայացնում Հայաստանի համար։» Բայց են նոյնպէս նոյն շունչով յայտարեց որ «Մենք խորացնելիւ ենք հարաբերութիւններր Եվրամիութեան հետ, ամէն ինչ անելու ենք Հայաստանի քաղաքացիների համար Եւրամիւթյան մուտքի արտոնագիր պահանջի  վերացման ուղղությամբ» (Հայկական Թավշյա Հեղափոխութիւն, Ստեփան Գրիգորյանշ, 2018, էջ