YEREVAN. – It is impossible to have lasting peace without Artsakh’s participation in talks, Armenian Foreign Minster Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in an interview with the public television.

Asked about Artsakh’s participation in the negotiations, the minister recalled that both Yerevan and Stepanakert repeatedly made statements in this regard.

“That's not news. And, Stepanakert has the last word,” Mnatsakanyan said, stressing that work is underway to ensure that Artsakh’s voice is heard.

At the same time, the minister did not agree that there is no negotiation without Artsakh.

“We continue working on the agenda within the negotiation process,” Mnatsakanyan said.

Regarding the human rights situation in Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan stressed that Armenia and Artsakh have chosen the way of building a state where democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are priorities.

“For us, the Karabakh dispute is the problem of the fate of 150,000 of our compatriots in Artsakh, who are under existential threat, because of Azerbaijan's actions. In the context of the hatred rhetoric voiced by Baku, we cannot imagine how one can talk about rights, the minister said.