YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS. Deputy minister of foreign affairs of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan has commented on PM Nikol Pashinyan’s statement on Artsakh’s participation in the negotiations for settling the NK conflict being a necessity.

Talking to reporters in the parliament, Kocharyan emphasized that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have also spoken about this.

“If the Kazan meeting were to be finished successfully, then this document would’ve been approved by Artsakh also, and the three countries would together work on a peace treaty. I am surprised over this stir. It is obvious that without the main party of the conflict, Artsakh, progress is impossible,” Kocharyan said.

He stressed that the fact that Artsakh isn’t participating in the talks now is related to solely the destructive stance of Azerbaijan.

“On the other hand, the co-chairs are well aware that Armenia cannot negotiate instead of Artsakh, and from the moment when progress will be able to be recorded Artsakh will take part. In other words, The participation-non participation of Artsakh shows like a litmus paper whether Azerbaijan indeed seeks progress in the negotiations process or simply uses the process for continuing its destructive policy,” Kocharyan said.

ENGLISH: Editor/Translator - Stepan Kocharyan