Pashinyan specifies primary issue in upcoming negotiations with Azerbaijan

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. During the upcoming talks with Azerbaijan, Armenia will try to get clarifications whether Azerbaijan agrees to sign a peace treaty on the basis of the three principles that have been agreed upon at the mediation of the EU, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

Pashinyan said that it is still unclear whether Azerbaijan agrees, reiterates to sign the peace agreement with Armenia on the basis of the three principles which were agreed upon during the Armenia-Azerbaijan summit in Brussels at the mediation of the EU, and recorded in the May 14andJuly 15statements by President of the European Council Charles Michel.

The three principles are: reciprocal recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty, based on the understanding that Armenia’s territory covers 29.800 km2 and Azerbaijan’s 86.600 km2; commitment to the 1991 Almaty Declaration as a political framework for the delimitation of border; unblocking of regional connections under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass.

“Now, if we were to analyze the statements, it’s unclear, we can’t definitely say that Azerbaijan is refusing to sign a peace treaty on the basis of these three principles, but we can neither definitely say that Azerbaijan is affirming its commitment to these three principles. There’s a need for clarifying these issues and nuances during negotiations,” Pashinyan said.

A border delimitation commission meeting is to take place November 30 on the border.

Pashinyan said that despite Azerbaijan having announced that it recognizes the territorial integrity of Armenia, this requires specifics, on what exactly Baku means by saying ‘territorial integrity of Armenia’. “The clarification of these issues is the main issue of the upcoming negotiations processes that we must try to solve,” Pashinyan said.