RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan denied the criticisms regarding the discussion of Armenia’s internal political issues with Azerbaijan, describing the process as a standard diplomatic practice aimed at managing regional risks and avoiding escalation.

During the briefing held on June 18, the head of the government commented on the Secretary of the Council of Ministers Armen Grigoryan and Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev the meeting. Answering the question about the expediency of such contacts in the background of internal political developments, Pashinyan emphasized that he personally instructed to study the possibility of these negotiations in order to prevent a possible escalation of the situation, which was raised by experts.

The Prime Minister categorically disagreed with the view that such a dialogue is humiliating for Yerevan. According to him, the Armenian side did not give any explanation to Baku, but simply clarified its official positions. Pashinyan noted that the very essence of diplomacy is the exchange of first-hand reliable information in order to avoid misunderstandings due to reports from third countries or the media. As an example, he referred to the telephone conversation he had with the Prime Minister of Georgia on the election day, stressing that sharing information with neighbors is an accepted interstate practice.

In addition to general political issues, tens of other topics were also discussed at the Grigoryan-Hajiev meeting, including issues related to border management and persons in prison. The executive head refused to give additional details, reminding that exhaustive information was already provided the previous day in the parliament. Pashinyan also emphasized the fact that the meeting took place directly in Armenia, and not outside the region, evaluating it as an important step in the advancement of the peace process and self-management of risks.

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