In a compelling and wide-ranging interview hosted by Noyan Tapan, Artak Sargsyan, Chairman of the “Kochari National Renaissance and National Awakening” party, presented a vision for Armenia that seeks to transcend the nation’s current political polarities. Positioning himself as a seasoned crisis manager with a global resume, Sargsyan argued that Armenia’s survival depends on abandoning its “pro-this” or “pro-that” labels in favor of becoming a strategic “bridge” between civilizations.
Neither Former Nor Current: A Search for a Third Way
A central pillar of Sargsyan’s political identity is his refusal to be categorized by the traditional divisions of Armenian politics. He explicitly stated that his party is “neither former nor current,” distancing himself from both the pre-2018 authorities and the current administration led by Nikol Pashinyan. Sargsyan claimed that despite attempts by both the government and the “controlled opposition” to associate him with past regimes or foreign interests, his record remains untainted by the political baggage of the last three decades.
Addressing long-standing rumors and “dark stories” surrounding his background, Sargsyan pointed to his history of high-stakes international engagement. He detailed his involvement in counter-terrorism efforts against Al-Shabaab in Somalia and his advocacy for Christian minorities in Sudan. Most notably, he claimed that he and his brothers were early architects of the proposal for South Sudan’s independence—a plan he asserts was eventually embraced by international bodies to bring peace to the region.
The “Dubai of Africa”: Bringing Global Experience Home
To counter criticisms that new political forces lack governance experience, Sargsyan highlighted his transformative work in Kenya. He described inheriting a country where police officers reportedly rented out their service weapons to criminals, and transforming it into what he called the “Dubai of Africa”. This transformation, he explained, involved building the national police force from the ground up—even inviting a former Chicago police chief to assist—resulting in a stable, high-wage economy that began attracting foreign labor.
Sargsyan intends to apply this same level of institutional building to Armenia, asserting that his management credentials are far more extensive than those typically found in the domestic political arena. He also addressed legal eligibility concerns, noting that he holds a government-verified document from Interpol confirming his sole Armenian citizenship and that he has met all residency requirements since returning to the country shortly before the 2020 44-day war.
Armenia as the “Singapore of the Caucasus” Rejecting the notion that Armenia must choose between Russian or Western orbits, Sargsyan proposed a “bridge” model inspired by Singapore, Israel, and Switzerland. “Armenia must be a communicator,” he argued, noting that the nation’s historical “gene” is rooted in connecting disparate civilizations. He envisions a country that maintains warm, high-level relations with both the West and Russia, utilizing its vast diaspora as a strategic asset much like Israel.
Sargsyan criticized the current government for failing to position Armenia as a neutral diplomatic hub. He revealed that his party had urged the state to provide a platform for negotiations between Iran and Israel, as well as between Russia and Ukraine. He argued that Armenia, with its deep ties to both sides of the Slavic conflict, was a more natural mediator than the United Arab Emirates. His ultimate goal is for Armenia to achieve a status similar to Switzerland, where the international community would view an attack on the country as a “moral shame”.
Despite his diplomatic aspirations, Sargsyan issued a stern warning regarding the current administration’s geopolitical trajectory. He cautioned that the government’s current policies—particularly those involving regional transit projects—risk turning Armenian soil into a “focal point” for a clash of superpowers.
He expressed concern that these projects could inadvertently antagonize neighbors like Georgia, who might fear economic “amputation” if transit routes bypass them, or Russia, which might view NATO’s potential access to Central Asia through Armenia as an existential threat. For Sargsyan, the “National Awakening” his party promises is not just about internal reform, but about navigating a treacherous global landscape with a level of “wisdom and flexibility” he believes is currently missing from the halls of power.