Analyst says OSCE chief's remarks on Armenian church leader 'not surprising'

Armenian political analyst Suren Surenyants said remarks made by Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu regarding the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church were not surprising, arguing they reflected a broader alignment of interests against the church.

His comments came after Sinirlioğlu was heard saying he was prepared to help remove the Catholicos of All Armenians during a conversation with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, believing he was speaking with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. A clip of the conversation was aired by Russia's Channel One.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Thursday, Surenyants said the remarks revealed the attitudes of not only Turkish officials toward the Armenian Apostolic Church but also Western "globalist" circles, citing Sinirlioğlu's position as the head of the OSCE Secretariat.

"This was not news to me," Surenyants said. He argued that had the OSCE secretary general declined to engage with the request, it would have demonstrated that the organization respected Armenia's internal affairs. Instead, he said, the reported response suggested that international actors were familiar with the issue and willing to become involved.

Surenyants reiterated his claim that pressure on the Armenian Apostolic Church stems from three overlapping interests.

He stated Nikol Pashinyan seeks to weaken one of the country's principal centers of domestic resistance in order to strengthen his political position. He also claimed that Azerbaijan and Turkey view the church as a pillar of Armenian national resistance and therefore have an interest in undermining it. Finally, he alleged that Western "globalist" circles seek to weaken the Armenian presence in the Middle East, making the church a target of that broader objective.

Asked whether Sinirlioğlu's reported remarks could be interpreted as evidence supporting claims of external influence over political developments in Armenia, Surenyants said they reinforced those allegations.