15/02/2020 23:03
Territories and security: Armenian, Azerbaijani leaders discuss NK conflict in Munich
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated today with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in discussion over Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the margins of Munich Security Conference.
Russian Kommersant journalist asked the parties about Russia’s proposals addressed to the conflict settlement, in particular, leaving the NK status for future discussion and do something to which the parties will agree easier like for instance the creation of corridor, finding mid-term solution.
“It is possible. This proposal was seriously viewed by us,” Azerbaijani president said.
“In general we gave our consent. It is clear that the conflict must be solved stage by stage. The first stage must be the liberation of part of occupied territories and this point exists in Russia’s proposal. This must follow the return of displaced Azerbaijanis, resettlement of the territories, in the same period the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia will regulate and the NK status will be discussed in future, after the parties express readiness,” Azerbaijani president said, adding that without liberation of the territories it is impossible to agree over the status.
“The status must not impede the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” he said.
In his turn, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that after the first meeting in Dushanbe together with President Aliyev they made a “little revolution.”
“After this meeting the tension in general reduced unprecedentedly, and we managed to establish direct contact. I must admit that President Aliyev is the co-author of this step,” Armenia’s PM said.
“President Aliyev is speaking about the territories. From the Azerbaijani viewpoint they are territories but from the Karabakh viewpoint it is security. It is necessary to understand how today’s status quo has formed because when Nagorno Karabakh tried to apply its right to self-determination military actions launched against the Armenians of the Nagorno Karabakh forcing them to organize self-defense. For years Stepanakert was shelled. It is impossible for anyone to compromise the security, in case of Karabakh it is impossible too,” Pashinyan stressed.
The head of the government also stressed that though Aliyev claims that Nagorno Karabakh is not conflicting party, Azerbaijan has twice signed treaties with NK.