Citing Alma-Ata Declaration doesn’t mean there will be no opportunity to address Artsakh status – MP

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the Armenian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Eduard Aghajanyan commented on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s statement regarding the Alma-Ata Declaration.

During a press conference Lavrov said that the recognition of the Alma-Ata Declaration by Armenia means that Armenia recognizes Nagorno Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.

When asked to comment on this statement, Aghajanyan said: “I think there is no need to comment on Lavrov’s statement. Armenia’s position on the negotiations and the process, details of the talks with Russia have been published. I think that neither Sergei Lavrov said anything new, nor I can add.

I think that by referring to the Alma-Ata Declaration by Armenia, no opportunity was lost, it doesn’t mean that there will be no chance to address the status after a long time. In fact, the proposal to leave it for the future has been made by Russia, and the Armenian side agreed to it. It is believed the assessment of its possibilities and impossibility, yes, should be made by Russia, depending on which document the Armenian side cites, but also depending on to what extent Russia as a mediator is able to make these proposals a reality, given that the Armenian side has announced, also publicly, that it supports that solution. It is supposed, Azerbaijan does not agree with it, but let’s record that Armenia agreed and record that the proposal has been made. That issue is in no way connected with the Alma-Ata document, it is only related to how much our Russian partners can make that proposal a reality in this situation”, he said.