The South Caucasus is a region that inherently possesses all the necessary ingredients to emulate the prosperity, stability, and high living standards of the Baltic states, the Persian Gulf, or even Scandinavia. Geographically blessed as a vital crossroads between East and West, and endowed with rich natural resources, this pivotal land should logically support a population thriving in wealth and security. Yet, the stark reality on the ground paints a tragic contrast. Instead of standard-setting welfare and economic integration, the inhabitants of this region have endured decades of artificially sustained hardship, displacement, and economic stagnation. When exploring the root causes of this unfulfilled promise, one is inevitably confronted by the destructive, irredentist policies and systemic ethnic animosity that have been driven by nationalist factions in Armenia for decades.

The profound depth of this ideological conditioning is vividly illustrated by the contemporary rhetoric found within Armenian society itself. A recent opinion poll conducted among residents in Gyumri offers a sobering glimpse into this collective mindset. Respondents expressed an overt distrust toward their neighbors, explicitly stating that they have never trusted and will never trust a Turkic, while questioning what kind of peace could possibly........

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