17:10,
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan assures that the leadership of Armenia cannot state one thing in the negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and present another thing to the people, the FM said at a press conference today, commenting on the statement of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov who said that the proposals presented at the meeting of the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs last year in Moscow, which suppose settlement by stages, are being actively discussed.
“During the past two years our government, Prime Minister Pashinyan, we have been more than transparent. We have expressed our positions and approaches very clearly. That statement made a reference to many documents. Such approaches appeared in 2014, 2016, and they were not acceptable for the Armenian sides. Starting 2018 the discussions were limited to separate elements, on discussing, assessing the approaches of the sides. The option proposed in 2014 today is not a document of the negotiation table”, the Armenian FM said.
He said the Armenian sides clearly presented their positions where the priority for them is the security component.
“As for the territories, in addition to all it’s a security zone and defensive lines. No Armenian side can suppose that it’s possible to revise it by putting the security of the Artsakh people under danger. It’s impossible to suppose that any of the Armenian sides could go to concessions which can endanger the security of the Artsakh people”, he said.
He added that among the main principles the principle of self-determination exists which is a priority for the Armenian sides in this negotiation process.
“The peaceful settlement is possible through mutual concessions. There have not been concessions and will not be. The Armenian sides will not adopt such an approach in any case which will suppose undermining the security, creating a treaty to the NK people. That threat remains real. The _expression_ of the principle of self-determination in this negotiation process is more than a priority. The mutual concessions should be proportionate in which the Armenian sides see complete _expression_ of security and status elements. This has been and remains the approach of the Armenian side. We are talking about this during the negotiations. One is deeply mistaken if supposes that we can talk one thing during the negotiations, but present another thing to the people. This is impossible”, he said.
The Armenian FM said the process has no other alternative than the peaceful settlement. The Armenian sides will decisively protect their people and security. The FM added that the Armenian side will remain committed to this principle and will continue insisting it.
Reported by Norayr Shoghikyan
Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
