Kocharyan calls Pashinyan a 'ball in the geopolitical game'

Second Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has downplayed the economic significance of the Trump Route project, arguing that its transit potential is “somewhat exaggerated”.

“The road is truly interesting for Turkey and crucial for Azerbaijan. It’s also of great interest to Israel in the context of long-term U.S. plans against Iran,” Kocharyan told reporters on Tuesday. “But what direct, tangible interest does the United States have here? None. There’s no major trade, no vital economic stake. Moreover, Washington has adopted a clear policy to contain China, while [Azerbaijani President] Aliyev claims the corridor will become a key route for China–Europe trade. It raises questions about what the U.S. is really doing in this project.”

Kocharyan accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of making excessive concessions to foreign powers. “Armenia has turned into a country that gives away whatever anyone asks for – Artsakh to Aliyev, whatever Erdogan wants, whatever Macron wants,” he said.

“He’s trying to play Mother Teresa at Armenia’s expense,” Kocharyan stressed. “Fortunately, he wasn’t born a girl – she would have been a national disgrace.”

Kocharyan called Pashinyan “a ball in the geopolitical game”, rather than an active player shaping the country’s future.