YEREVAN, MARCH 12, ARMENPRESS.  The Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declares that the villages that Azerbaijan demands have never been in the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.

He made this statement in response to the question about Azerbaijan's continued territorial claims against Armenia, specifically Azerbaijan's demand to hand over four villages in the Tavush region.

Pashinyan noted that the names of the villages being raised in the Azerbaijani press have never existed in the territory of the Republic of Armenia; moreover, not only during Soviet times but even afterward.

''There has never been and cannot be any discussion about handing over any village of the region of Tavush to Azerbaijan,’’ said Pashinyan.

First of all, the Prime Minister noted that, in his opinion, there is some confusion, misunderstanding, and lack of understanding surrounding this issue, suggesting first to define the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

"First, let's define the territory of the Republic of Armenia so that we can clearly formulate where and why Azerbaijan has territorial claims against Armenia and where, essentially, it does not have or may not have any territorial claims against the Republic of Armenia," said Pashinyan, showing the participants the territory of Armenia on the map and emphasizing that the enclave and non-enclave villages that Azerbaijan claims are not within the sovereign territory of Armenia.