ArmInfo. Deputy head of the Foreign  Affairs Committee of the Armenian Parliament Hovhannes Igityan,  commenting on the provisions of the US State Department report on  Karabakh, made notable interpretations, assuring that the word  "separatist" does not always have a negative connotation.

In an interview with ArmInfo correspondent, Igityan, in particular,  tried to explain the vocabulary interpretation of the term  "separatist":

According to him, applying the word "separatist" in relation to the  Karabakh people, the State Department wanted to note that the  Karabakh people had separated from Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, Igityan  recognized that Artsakh and its people should not be called  "separatists", since the republic has elected authorities,  institutions of democracy and state governance. "In this regard,  Artsakh is far ahead of Azerbaijan," Igityan said, shifting the  attention from this chapter of the report to another, which refers to  Armenia.

"The US Department of State is very positive about the events that  occurred in the spring of 2018 in Armenia, considering this to be a  huge breakthrough in the development of democracy in our country.  They are very positive about not only political processes, but also  electoral, as well as economic and legal reforms. The State  Department considers the Armenian government its partner, with whom  it is possible to cooperate further, " Igityan concluded.

Meanwhile, spokesman for Artsakh President David Babayan, in an  interview with ArmInfo correspondent, on the contrary, considered the  language used in the State Department report unacceptable and  stressed the need to intensify the work of Armenia, Artsakh and  Diaspora for the subsequent removal of such language in international  reports.

To note, the US State Department's report on human rights for 2018  states: "The separatists, with the support of Armenia, continued to  control most of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent territories of  Azerbaijan." The report also notes that the final status of Artsakh  remains the subject of discussion within the framework of the  international mediation mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group.