I have had chance to say before that very often on our public platforms and social networks it is presented as an alarm that the Government is going to sign some paper. I want to assure you that if we have a situation where we have 1, 2, 3 days left that we are going to sign some paper, that would actually be very good news, not bad news, because it would mean that we have progressed in the negotiation process and achieved a result that is not the result of our dreams, but a result that will ensure long-term peace, stability and development. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced this at the press conference, responding to the statement of the factions of the National Assembly of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic that they demand the authorities of the Republic of Armenia to adhere to the decision of July 8, 1992 resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia and not to question the right of Artsakh people to self-determination.
"In the middle of February, we sent our feedback on the possible draft of the peace treaty to Azerbaijan, and 2-3 days ago we received Azerbaijan's feedback on our draft. What can I say in terms of that document? I can say the following. it should be emphasized that we see some progress, but the further we go, the more fundamental problems appear. First, we see that Azerbaijan is trying to formulate territorial claims or ambitions to Armenia through a possible agreement to establish peace and establish relations, which is understandably and naturally a red line for us.
Next, we see that with the proposals of the text, Azerbaijan is trying to obtain a mandate to carry out genocide or ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, including under the signature of Armenia. That is naturally also a red line for us. We also see that Azerbaijan is trying, striving for it, that is our interpretation, because it is not mentioned in Azerbaijan's proposals that it receives a mandate and permission to commit genocide against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh by this agreement. If I say this, I am sure that I can provide those justifications," said Pashinyan.
The next problem, according to the Prime Minister, is that Azerbaijan pursues such a line that, in fact, we do not have a system of guarantees for the implementation of the contract even after the signed contract.
"It is also a red line for us, because today we have a written, signed, published document that is not being implemented: the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, according to which the Lachin Corridor should not have been closed in any way, but it is closed now. Therefore, this further emphasizes Yerevan's sensitivity that any document to be signed should have guarantees of implementation, preferably an international guarantee. All that is missing", he said.
Speaking about the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, Nikol Pashinyan said that the issue is extremely important.
"Our perception is that it would be right for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to be the primary mandate holder of this issue, as it actually is. There are both objective and subjective reasons for this position. We believe that this conversation should take place between Baku and Stepanakert, and the processes also lead us to the conclusion that it will not be possible to move forward here without international guarantees. Because in Munich, the president of Azerbaijan himself said that there is an international agreement that the issue of the rights and guarantees of Karabakh Armenians should be discussed, after which two meetings took place at the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. After those meetings, it suddenly became clear that Azerbaijan offers to discuss the issue of integration. We saw how the vocabulary changed in a month.
The framework of the rights and security of the NK people should be decided by the NK people and the government", the prime minister emphasized.
