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Armenia’s Representative on International Legal Matters, Karen Andreasyan, said on Wednesday that the country isn’t discussing the withdrawal of lawsuits filed against Azerbaijan in international courts.
The initialed peace treaty between the two countries envisages that the parties shall “withdraw, dismiss or otherwise settle” interstate proceedings filed against each other within one month of the treaty’s entry into force.
Andreasyan was asked to comment.
“Neither under my predecessor nor during my tenure has any lawsuit been withdrawn, and there is no such discussion. If anything like that happens, you will definitely be informed about it. I represent the Republic of Armenia in all judicial disputes — whether it is an interstate case with Azerbaijan, an arbitration proceeding, or a case before the European Court of Human Rights. This is a great honor for me, and I defend Armenia’s interests in the way that is necessary for our country, so that our citizens and their children do not suffer additional financial losses,” Andreasyan told reporters.
In response to a journalist’s remark that the peace agreement initialed in Washington contains a clause requiring both sides to withdraw their lawsuits against each other from international courts once the agreement enters into force, Andreasyan replied:
“I have reviewed the entire package. [Ex-representative] Mr. Yeghishe Kirakosyan did not received, and our office has not received, any proposal to withdraw from any lawsuit. If the Republic of Armenia — whether the Government, the National Assembly, or the Constitutional Court — ever decides to ratify an agreement that provides for the termination of legal proceedings, you will learn about it before I do. After that, together we will understand what legal steps are necessary,” said Andreasyan.
Andreasyan emphasized that Armenia continues to consistently defend its interests in international platforms and that there are no preconditions or grounds for abandoning any judicial proceedings.
Article 15 of the initialed Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement stipulates: “Without prejudice to Article XIV, the Parties shall withdraw, dismiss, or otherwise settle any and all interstate claims, complaints, protests, objections, proceedings, and disputes related to the issues existed between the Parties before the signing of this Agreement in any legal forum within one month from the date of entry into force of this Agreement and shall not initiate such claims, complaints, protests, objections, proceedings, and shall not be involved in any manner into such claims, complaints, protests, objections, proceedings initiated against the other Party by any third-party.”