An Armenia border patrol soldier in Gegharkunik
Yerevan has not placed any preconditions on the process to delimit and demarcate the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia’s National Security chief Armen Grigoryan told reporters on Thursday, in response to Baku’s insistence to the contrary.
Grigoryan explained that Yerevan’s proposals on the process to create a working group to oversee the demarcation and delimitation were simply a demand to implement the agreements reached last year during a meeting between the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in Sochi.
“These agreements are mentioned in the statement, which calls for taking steps to raise the security [in the region] and then start the delimitation and demarcation processes. Armenia wants for these agreements to be fulfilled,” explained Grigoryan.
Armenia has proposed that Armenia and Azerbaijan simultaneous withdraw their border troops and the area to be monitored by an international peacekeeping force until the completion of the delimitation and demarcation process.
In situations where the armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan are stationed in close proximity, any political process could impact that landscapes, and may increase the possibility of military escalations.
In discussing the Karabakh conflict, Grigoryan reiterated the government’s position that a comprehensive resolution to the issue must be negotiated with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ efforts.
“We must find a peaceful resolution. Any process that could disrupt the peaceful settlement is very concerning for us, and we believe that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries have all levers and possibilities to prevent any steps taken militarily,” he said.
He also added that Armenia will continue to insist that Russian peacekeepers currently stationed in Artsakh for a minimum of five years, remain deployed there until the conflict is resolved.
Grigoryan also announced that Armenia will not join a proposed “Union State” by Russia and Belarus. He added that Armenia is a sovereign country, a democratic state and should remain that way.
In addressing the proposed initiative, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said the week the Union State between Russia and Belarus should expand and include most of the ex-Soviet republics. Specifically, speaking about Armenia, he said “Armenia has nowhere to run…..what, you think anyone needs them? They have already seen it, Nikol Vovayevich [Pashinyan] has already seen it.”
Grigoryan said that official Yerevan provided a comprehensive response to Lukashenko, pointing out that the Belarus ambassador to Armenia was summoned to the foreign ministry, which in its turn also issued a statement. He added that the matter was discussed in length in the National Assembly.
“I hope the Belarusian side will avoid such incidents, will stay away from giving any assessment on Armenia because these assessments do not anyhow stem from the existing relationss between Armenia and Belarus, especially between the people of Armenia and Belarus,” Grigoryan said.