Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday defended his recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and said that Armenia is not in a position to “decide the fate” of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population.
“Our position is that Armenia cannot decide the fate of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and it follows the logic that Nagorno-Karabakh’s representatives themselves must be a party to negotiations, dialogue [with Azerbaijan,]” Pashinyan told a news conference.
“This is the agenda that we are furthering, bearing in mind that the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh should be discussed with the participation of Nagorno-Karabakh’s representatives in the format of a Baku-Stepanakert dialogue and within the framework of an international mechanism. And I think that the people, the representatives, the government of Nagorno-Karabakh will have an opportunity to address all issues preoccupying them within the framework of this formula.”
Pashinyan sparked domestic uproar in May when he pledged to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh through an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty. Members of his political team have linked the signing of such a treaty to an internationally mediated dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert on “the rights and security” of the Karabakh Armenians.
Karabakh’s leadership and the Armenian opposition have denounced Pashinyan’s stance. They say the restoration of Azerbaijani rule would only force the Karabakh Armenians to flee the territory.
Arayik Harutiunian, the Karabakh president, insisted late on Monday Armenia’s leaders refrain from making statements recognizing the region as part of Azerbaijan. Pointing to the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin corridor and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Karabakh, Harutiunian said Baku is keen to “get rid of the people of Artsakh” through the blockade and “ethnic cleansing.”
“Saying that the Armenian government must be banned from recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity effectively means banning Azerbaijan from recognizing Armenia’s territorial integrity or … contributing to the Azerbaijani policy of not recognizing Armenia’s territorial integrity,” Pashinyan countered during his press conference.
“I am the prime minister of 29,800 square kilometers,” he said, referring to Armenia’s total area.
Speaking after Pashinyan’s last meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by him on July 15, European Council President Charles Michel said the two leaders reaffirmed their earlier “understanding that Armenia’s territory covers 29,800 square kilometers and Azerbaijan’s 86,600 square kilometers.”
Azerbaijan’s total Soviet-era area cited by Michel includes Karabakh. Aliyev has not publicly confirmed recognizing Armenia’s existing borders.
Source: Azatutyun.am
