Member of the National Assembly Yelk bloc Nikol Pashinyan, who has been nominated as candidate for Prime Minister’s post, says negotiations on the Karaabkh conflict settlement should continue within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship.
Pashinyan said at consultations with the Republican faction that if elected, he will get into details of the negotiating process in the shortest possible period of time.
He added that there are no two opinions in Armenia that the rhetoric coming from Azerbaijan is not conducive to solving the issue.
Pashinyan noted that for any representative of Armenia it’s hard to negotiate with a man constantly threatening to launch aggression against the country.
“We need an atmosphere of peace to establish peace,” he said.
Nikol Pashinyan, who had been leading anti-governmental protests, believes that “the recent events in the country will further strengthen Armenia’s position in the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement.
As an opposition MP, Pashinyan has long been critical of the authorities’ decision to join the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
“I have been against Armenia’s membership to EAEU, but there are realities and facts we all have to take note of,” Pashinyan said, that anyone in Armenia should be guided by national interests rather than own whims.
He noted that if elected, he will not press for withdrawing from EAEU and CSTO, but added that there are problems that need to be discussed “in an atmosphere of partnership to make structures event stronger and more effective.”
Nikol Pashinyan earlier held consultations with two other parliamentary factions – Tsarukyan alliance and ARF.
The Armenian National Assembly is set to elect new Prime Minister on March 1, a week after Serzh Sargsyan resigned.
