Armenian PM: Armenia to continue constructive involvement in peaceful process of Karabakh conflict settlement

Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is the main issue of Armenia’s political agenda. The status of the Artsakh Republic and its security is Armenia’s absolute priority in the peace talks, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his speech at the 73d Summit of UN GA.

“Any attempts of military solution of the conflict is a threat to regional security, democracy and human rights. Armenia will continue its constructive involvement in the peaceful process of conflict settlement in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group which has the only internationally recognized mandate for conflict settlement,” the PM said, adding that Azerbaijan should change its disrespectful attitude toward the negotiations and step back from the idea of military settlement of the conflict.

“Moreover, if Azerbaijan is really committed to the peace process it must start dialogue with Nagorno Karabakh - the main negotiating party. Azerbaijan states at any occasion that Karabakh must be its part but at the same time it states that it will not negotiate with Nagorno Karabakh,” the PM said, asking how Azerbaijan can have ambitions over Karabakh without even having dialogue with it.

“It becomes obvious that Azerbaijan wants just territory without the people. It intends to clean Karabakh from Armenians just like it happened in Nakhijevan. It gives Nagorno Karabakh a right to say that becoming part of Azerbaijan will mean for Karabakh people complete annihilation. Thus, Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan if no one wants to allow new genocide of the Armenian people,” he said.

Wrapping up his speech, Pashinyan reiterated the necessity of exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict on the basis of mutual concessions.