Armenia’s PM says he cannot represent Karabakh in peace talks as it has its own president, government, parliament

Armenia’s Prime Minister represents Armenia at the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process and not Artsakh Republic with a simple reason that Artsakh citizens have not elected him as PM, Nikol Pashinyan said at the meeting with reporters in Moscow today.

Asked what he talked with Aliyev in Davos, Pashinyan said, “During our meeting I have many times stated that I am representing Armenia and negotiate on Armenia’s behalf, I cannot represent Nagorno Karabakh with a simple reason that citizens of Artsakh do not participate in the elections in Armenia, thus they have not elected me as their Prime Minister. They elect their president, they have their government, their National Assembly. This is the reason why I cannot negotiate on behalf of Nagorno Karabakh,” he said.

As to more details of the discussion, the PM said it is not ethical to come out and tell what was talked about.

“It is clear that it is of interest for reporters, citizens to learn in every detail what has been talked about but from ethical viewpoint it is unacceptable to go out and tell everything that was discussed,” he said, adding that in general all know what they have referred to.

“I have already stated what we have talked about,” Pashinyan said.

Referring to the possibility of starting the official talks with Azerbaijan, Armenia’s PM said that the foreign ministers of the two countries are working in that direction but nothing has been decided exactly.