Armenians call Trump-brokered Azerbaijan peace deal ‘surrender document’
The treaty, signed in Washington, sparked controversy over a new transit zone and accusations that Armenia’s PM has made ‘endless concessions’
The streets were almost deserted in Yerevan on Saturday because of the summer heat, but at shaded parks and fountains, Armenians struggled to make sense of what the accord signed a day earlier in Washington means for them.
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, two countries in the Caucasus involved in a territorial conflict since the fall of the Soviet Union, met on Friday and signed a peace treaty under the watch of US President Donald Trump.
In Yerevan, however, few people were enthusiastic.
“It’s a good thing that this document was signed because Armenia has no other choice,” said Asatur Srapyan, an 81-year-old retiree.
He believes Armenia hasn’t achieved much with this draft agreement, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“We are very few in number, we don’t have a powerful army, we don’t have a powerful ally behind us, unlike Azerbaijan,” he said. “This accord is a good opportunity for peace.”