We have principles in the Karabakh conflict settlement process, but do not make them a precondition for the resumption of talks, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.
Speaking at the Q&A session in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said the recent statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs is constructive and complies with our vision of resumption or continuation of the negotiation process.
“We have certain principles in the negotiation process, but we have said we do not see these principles as a precondition for talks. We never say we will not negotiate unless certain issues are solved, as there will be no need in talks, if all issues are solved. Instead, negotiations are called to help settle issues,” PM Pashinyan said.
He added that it’s Azerbaijan posing preconditions by insisting that Nagorno Karabakh should be exceptionally part of Azerbaijan.
According to the Prime Minister, the atmosphere for negotiations remains the same as before the July clashes.
“Before the July escalation we would hear bellicose statements from Azerbaijani, which were inconsistent with the logic of negotiations. But I think that the stance of the international community is very clear. There is only a peaceful negotiated solution to the Karabakh conflict. And the July clashes came to change the following logic: we would say that it was impossible to talk to Armenia and Artsakh in the language of force, while Azerbaijan insisted they would solve the Karabakh issue within 24 hours. It turned out Azerbaijan was wrong, we were right,” the Prime Minister stated.
