YEREVAN, AUGUST 16, ARMENPRESS. The fact that the Republic of Artsakh is not participating in the negotiations shows that Azerbaijan is not ready for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ashot Ghoulyan – Speaker of the Parliament of Artsakh, told Armenpress.

“Unfortunately, now are not so good times in the negotiation process. We have a deadlock situation, and it’s very difficult to predict with what additional impulses the negotiation process can be promoted. We have two major problems, one of which is deep – the format in the negotiation process has long been violated. After 1997-1998 the negotiation format is distorted, in other words the Republic of Artsakh is not taking part in the negotiations. After that the negotiations have completely changed their overall structure, and if before that the negotiations were taking place through an active dialogue, today everything has changed, they have shifted to a shuttle diplomacy, in other words, mediators are visiting all sides”, he said.

He also mentioned another major problem which undermines the negotiation process, it is the following: every time Azerbaijan tries to think of some mechanisms where the conflict is viewed as an Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. “This is the reason that Azerbaijan is trying to launch escalation of the conflict in different sections of the border with Armenia. These are measures to justify the Azerbaijani stereotype through which they are trying to show that it’s an Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. I think there is no other option than the trilateral meeting since the negotiation process over the NK conflict has long been officially approved by documents, the highest one is the OSCE Budapest summit”, the Artsakh Parliament Speaker said.

He assured that there are documents, and according to them, the participation of the Republic of Artsakh to the negotiation process is undeniable. According to them, it will be clear from the Azerbaijani response to Artsakh’s participation in the negotiations whether they want a real settlement or have put a task to delay the conflict settlement. “The main side of the conflict cannot be withdrawn or put aside from the negotiation table”, Ashot Ghoulyan said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a press conference in Artsakh in May stated that the most important component for the NK conflict settlement are the right format negotiations, and Artsakh must definitely participate in them.

Interview by Lilit Demuryan

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan