Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the latter’s initiative.
Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed that Armenia highly appreciates the Secretary General’s continuous attention to the peace and security in the South Caucasus. The Prime Minister presented the tense situation created as a result of provocations by Azerbaijan in the direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, emphasizing that these actions were taken contrary to the Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire.
“I assure you that Armenia has done everything possible to end the hostilities and reduce the tension,” Nikol Pashinyan said.
Touching upon the violations of the agreements reached by Azerbaijan on the cessation of hostilities, PM Pashinyan added that in this period we are witnessing contradictory statements and actions of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan.
“We understand that the domestic situation in Azerbaijan is difficult. But we cannot be held hostage to the trap set by President Aliyev. Years of hatred against Armenians and the threat of war have created an illusion of military superiority that is now fading. We are not sure whether the Azerbaijani leadership has the ability or desire to maintain the ceasefire, to prevent provocative rhetoric,” said Nikol Pashinyan.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to a peaceful settlement, emphasizing that in the current situation it is very important to expand the OSCE monitoring capacity and implement the existing agreements on this issue.
“It is necessary for the Azerbaijani authorities to publicly reject the use of force or the threat of force. The Azerbaijani leadership must accept that there is no alternative to peace talks,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General expressed concern over the tense situation in the region, stressing the need to take immediate steps to reduce tensions, including through the implementation of agreements aimed at strengthening the ceasefire. Antonio Guterres reaffirmed his support for the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
