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YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian answered the questions of MPs at the National Assembly during a Q&A session with the Government. The questions mostly referred to the situation after the large-scale military onslaught by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh in early April. “Armenpress” presents important parts of the session.
Samvel Farmanyan inquired about prospects for peace talks and if it is possible to force Azerbaijan not to fire.
Edward Nalbandian answered that those prospects are directly linked with the elimination of the consequences of Azerbaijani aggression. “The last announcements and interviews of the President of the Republic touch upon that issue”, he said. Nalbandian mentioned that the prospects for further negotiations depend on to what extent it will be possible to prevent Azerbaijan from resuming large-scale military operations against the people of Artsakh. He stated that the efforts of the international community, the Co-chair countries and Armenia are aimed at excluding the reoccurrence of the incidents of early April. “Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the same during his visit to Yerevan. There were talks that he had brought some documents and some negotiations were held were mere rumors. If there are no proper conditions, there can be no talks of negotiations”, the Minister clarified.
“Armenia has always supported peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict through negotiations, and it’s not Armenia that declined the meetings. If there were wrecked meetings at any level, Azerbaijan is responsible for that. The last case happened in Washington, where Azerbaijanis refused to meet even with the Co-chairs”, Nalbandian said. The Minister also mentioned that Azerbaijan made an attempt to cast doubt on the trilateral ceasefire agreement signed in 1994. “Such attempts were made in diplomatic arenas in Vienna and New York. And the Co-chairs adequately responded. They told what we say, that the trilateral agreements on the ceasefire and its reinforcement, signed in 1994 and 1995 are valid and must be unconditionally respected. This is our opinion, as well as the opinion of the international community, the Co-chairs. Azerbaijan once again demonstrated that it is in confrontation with the international community. These were their diplomatic miscalculations”, the Minister said.
Edward Nalbandian added that Azerbaijanis pretend that they are not aware how it happened that they waged large-scale military operations against Artsakh on April 2, they are not aware of how many casualties they suffered during this period, they are not aware what is the meaning of the proposal on the creation of investigative mechanisms and they are not aware of the 5 statements of the Co-chairs on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
“I believe that we can remind for those uninformed that not having information does not exempt them from responsibility. I think it is time for the international community to sober up Azerbaijan and bring back to the negotiation table, where it will be possible to go on with the talks. While our current meetings are aimed at the elimination of the consequences caused by the operations unleashed by Azerbaijan”, Nalbandian concluded.
The next MP to ask Nalbandian a question was Khachatur Kokobelyan. His question referred to the process of the elaboration of a treaty of military partnership between Armenia and NKR assigned by President Sargsyan during the first Security Council meeting. Kokobelyan also asked a question referring Russian arm sales to Azerbaijan and the delay by Russia to supply Armenia with the weapons it has bought by a credit agreement.
Foreign Minister Nalbandian answered that the process of the elaboration of the document assigned by the President of the Republic is underway. “That document is being prepared together with Nagorno Karabakh, and I believe you realize very well that it is not a simple process and there is a need for much expert and other works”, the Minister said, adding that it will be implemented after those works are done and opinions from relevant agencies are considered.
As refers to Rogozin’s announcement in Baku and the announcement of Belarus, over which the Ambassador of that country was summoned to the MFA Armenia, Edward Nalbandian noted that there are some talks that should not be revealed for their effectiveness.
“As refers to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, it is conditioned by the failure of negotiations of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani tried to create favorable conditions for negotiations, but they totally failed”, the Minister said, clarifying that the main existing documents for the conflict settlement are the 5 statements issued by the heads of the Co-chair states, which is the only internationally authorized mandate. “But Azerbaijanis do not want to make any reference to those documents and pretends that they are unaware of what they are about. The display the working documents put on the table in a distorted manner. According to them, the Co-chairs have not proposed any working document since 2009. In that case a question rises. What was the topic of discussion on the presidential level, including Azerbaijan’s president, during the several summits? What were the foreign ministers discussing during the dozens of meetings? What were the Co-chairs discussing during their numerous regional visits to Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan?
They failed the negotiations and wanted to derive some achievements in the battlefield. But they again failed. And of course, they will have to return to the negotiation table, because there is no other alternative. There has been no conflict or war in the human history, that did not end around negotiation table”, Nalbandian said.
To the remark of MP Kokobelyan that the military partnership agreement with NKR should be elaborated as soon as possible, and noted that it is already a bit delayed, FM Nalbandian answered, “You may be right, but when such actions are taken, especially considering our interest in finding a solution through negotiations, and when we continue that process, we must also take into account many other factors and circumstances”.