The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, said Yerevan is ready to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, however, Baku must ensure the protection of the rights and security of ethnic Armenians living in the region.
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At the press conference held today, May 22, Pashinyan stated that Armenia recognizes the territory of Azerbaijan as 86 600 square kilometers, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh.
“If we understand each other correctly, then yes, Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as 86 600 square kilometers, with an understanding that Azerbaijan recognizes 29 800 square kilometers of Armenia in return.
86 600 sq. km includes Nagorno-Karabakh, but it should be emphasized that the issues related to rights and security of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh should be settled in the framework of Baku-Stepanakert,” stated Pashinyan.
According to the Prime Minister, the Armenian side considers it important to ensure international guarantees in the negotiations between Baku and Stephanakert (the capital of the self-recognized Nagoro-Karabakh Republic).
“What we have in mind, for example, is that the matter of the rights and security of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians could simply be neglected and Azerbaijan may continue the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians,” explained Pashinyan.
He reiterated today once more that the security guarantee for Armenia is peace, which can only be ensured by regulating relations with all neighboring states. According to the Prime Minister, this is not an easy process, but it is what people want.
Nagorno-Karabakh, which covers approximately 4400 sq. km, is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, although it predominantly consists of an ethnic Armenian population.
“Armenia, which at one time declared that “Karabakh is Armenia, period” today should repeat our words, that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan, exclamation mark.” If they said A, they should now say B. Armenia, which expressed its readiness to sign a peace treaty based on Alma-Ata Declaration, should now declare officially that Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan,” said the President of Azerbaijan in an interview on April 18.
Ilham Aliev stated that Armenians living in Karabakh should either accept Azerbaijani citizenship or find elsewhere to live.
A three-way meeting is scheduled on May 25 in Moscow, between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
