Pashinyan says he twice had phone calls with Russia’s president but thinks he will be having more with the French President

In an interview with Al Jazeera Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that over this period he had phone calls with the President of France, with the Chancellor of Germany, with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the UN Secretary-General, twice with Vladimir Putin.

“But I think that I will be having more phone talks with the French President and other leaders to discuss the ongoing situation and the development of events, Pashinyan said.

As to whether what matters is Vladimir Putin and what he [Putin] thinks and says is matters most to him, Pashinyan said, “Russia is an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair country. Russia and Armenia have deep partnership ties in the security field, including the availability of a Russian military base in Armenia. There are certain treaties that are in force and perhaps the agenda of our discussions is more diverse in that respect.”

To the question whether he wants Moscow to be neutral, “we know Turkey's Erdogan has pledged his support for Azerbaijan. Would you like something similar to come from Vladimir Putin in your favor?

Pashinyan said, “Our position is that Russia is first of all a co-chair country and the Minsk Group take all necessary measures to ensure security and peace in the region and help resolve the Karabakh issue. Russia has with Armenia commitments in the security field, or to be precise, cooperation in the security field, and that is one of the items on our agenda.”