YEREVAN, JUNE 16, ARMENPRESS. The leadership of Armenia moves on the path of the exercise of rights and the guarantee of the security of the people of Artsakh, and negotiations are taking place around this, and the status must derive from the guarantees that will be for ensuring the security and protecting the rights, Members of Parliament from the ruling Civil Contract faction said at a press briefing today.

Commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech of yesterday in the Parliament relating to the status of Artsakh, Arusyak Julhakyan said: “The Prime Minister yesterday said the following over the status of Artsakh that it should not be a goal for us, but a mean to ensure the security and rights of Artsakh-Armenians. And I claim that he is not the first person in Armenia who made that statement, noting that the Artsakh issue has been initially and always considered by Armenia as an issue of right, a security issue, not as an issue of right to self-determination”.

According to her, the Artsakh issue remains as an issue of ensuring the protection of rights and the security of Artsakh-Armenians. The lawmaker assured that there couldn’t be a step back on this matter.

Artur Hovhannisyan highlighted the PM’s speech in a sense that with these statements the leadership is trying to close the “gap” existing between the public and the entire negotiation process. In fact, the public has not been aware of the negotiation processes. “We move on the path of the exercise of rights and the guarantee of the security of the people of Artsakh. Negotiations are taking place around this. And in fact, the status should be derived from the guarantees that will be for ensuring the security and protecting the rights”, he said. “Negotiations are taking place for the exercise of rights and the security guarantees of the people of Artsakh, and the status should be derived from this. Negotiations are underway to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh and their right to live in their homeland”, he added.