For the Armenian side, the security guarantees of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, the protection of their rights and freedoms, as well as the clarification of the final status of NK, are of fundamental importance; these issues are included in the Armenian side’s responses regarding the peace agenda and must become the subject of negotiations.
This was stated by RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his speech at the government session, referring to the course of his meeting with the President of Azerbaijan in Brussels on April 6, mediated by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.
«As a result of the meeting, a decision was made regarding two issues. First, the foreign ministers of the two countries have been instructed to begin preparatory work on a future peace treaty and to undertake negotiations and contacts in this direction. This means that the principles and issues presented by Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the peace treaty must be brought together and addressed through the results of the negotiations», said Pashinyan.
Pashinyan recalled that, in response to Azerbaijan’s proposals, the Armenian side emphasized that there is nothing unacceptable to the Armenian side in them. «However, they do not complete the issues of the peace agenda. And for us, the security guarantees of the people of NK, the protection of their rights and freedoms, as well as the clarification of the final status of NK, are of fundamental importance. These issues are included in our responses regarding the peace agenda and must become the subject of negotiations», said the Prime Minister.
He emphasized that the Armenian side, as before, so now, considers the involvement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship essential in this process, and work must continue in that direction.
«The next decision made in Brussels was about creating a bilateral commission on the delimitation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan borders by the end of April. That commission will have a dual mandate — the first is the actual delimitation works, the second is ensuring security and stability along the border. Discussions on this topic, including with the mediation of the Russian Federation, have been taking place for about a year. And finally we reached a decision of such mutual agreement. You know that there are RA territories that are under Azerbaijan’s control, there are Azerbaijani territories that are under Armenia’s control. These issues must be resolved through the results of negotiations, naturally on the basis of de jure substantiated records, legally significant facts», said Pashinyan.
He added that Russia has expressed readiness to provide support to the delimitation and demarcation works, the European Union also expresses readiness to support, and one must move forward in this direction. «Our position is that a de jure border exists between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it is the border line that existed in Soviet times. With this record, the delimitation works must begin and attempts must be made to reach solutions, while taking parallel measures to ensure security and stability», said the Prime Minister.
Giving an overall assessment of the Brussels meeting, the Prime Minister noted that an agreement was reached to move forward in two directions, and the subsequent assessment depends on the results to be recorded at the stage of practical implementation of the agreements. Pashinyan added that they will consistently continue to advance the agenda of opening an era of peaceful development for the country and the region. «And we must do our utmost to make this agenda a reality. I repeat — unfortunately, it does not depend only on us. But we must consistently fulfill our part of the work», concluded the Prime Minister.
