Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, at the latter’s initiative.
Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed that Armenia highly appreciates the Secretary-General’s continued attention to peace and security in the South Caucasus. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia presented the tense situation created by the provocations undertaken by Azerbaijan along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, emphasising that these actions were taken contrary to the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire during the pandemic.
“I assure you that Armenia has done everything possible to put an end to military operations and reduce the tension in the situation,” noted Pashinyan.
Referring to Azerbaijan’s violations of the agreements reached on halting military operations, the Prime Minister added that during this period we are witnessing contradictory statements and actions by Azerbaijan’s military-political leadership.
“We understand that there is a serious internal situation in Azerbaijan. But we cannot become hostage to the trap President Aliyev has set. The hatred spread against Armenians for years and the threat of war had created an illusion of military superiority, which is now evaporating. We are not sure whether Azerbaijan’s leadership has the capacity or the will to maintain the ceasefire and prevent provocative rhetoric,” he said.
He reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to a peaceful settlement, emphasising that in the current situation it is critically important to expand the OSCE’s monitoring capabilities and to implement the existing agreements on the matter.
“It is necessary for the Azerbaijani authorities to publicly reject the use of force or the threat of force. Azerbaijan’s leadership must accept that peaceful negotiations have no alternative,” said the leader of the Republic of Armenia.
The UN Secretary-General expressed concern over the tense situation in the region, emphasising the importance of taking immediate steps to ease the tension, including through the implementation of agreements aimed at strengthening the ceasefire.
António Guterres reaffirmed his support for the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group.
