The elections held in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) are important from the perspectives of human rights, regional security and the peace process. This is what Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said during an interview aired on Armenian Public Television.

“The people of Artsakh exercise their human right to govern public life through elections. The elected authorities will continue to ensure the comprehensive security of the people of Artsakh. Armenia has obviously been and still is the guarantor of Artsakh’s security, and after all, the elected authorities of Artsakh must gain and have the mandate of the people of Artsakh to represent them during the talks over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this sense, the elections are more than important,” Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said.

According to Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the authorities of Artsakh took the decision to not postpone the elections due to the coronavirus by calculating all the potential risks.

“Yes, it’s a pity that there was no observation mission due to the coronavirus, but at the end of the day, the people of Artsakh vote for themselves, not observers. The authorities of Artsakh took that decision, and Armenia respects it,” Armenia’s foreign minister said.