Pashinyan considers it inappropriate to discuss invasion of Azerbaijani armed forces in Parukh in Brussels platform

ARMINFO
Armenia – April 7 2022
Naira Badalian

ArmInfo.The Armenian side did not discuss in detail the situation in Parukh in Brussels, for the reason that the issue is in the field of responsibility of the Russian  peacekeepers. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on  April 7 at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, referring to the  results of yesterday's meeting with the Azerbaijani President in  Brussels.

As the press service of the RA PM reports, before discussing the  agenda, the Prime Minister summed up the results of the trilateral  meeting between him, the President of the European Council and the  President of Azerbaijan, which took place on April 6 in Brussels. In  his speech, Nikol Pashinyan particularly said, "You are aware that  under the mediation of the President of the European Council Charles  Michel, the meeting between me and the President of Azerbaijan took  place in Brussels yesterday until late night through. Based on the  results of the meeting, decisions were made over two issues. First,  the foreign ministers of the two countries have been instructed to  begin preparations for the future peace treaty, to hold talks and  establish contacts in this direction. What does this mean? This means  that the principles and issues presented by Armenia and Azerbaijan on  the peace treaty should be summed up and be addressed based on the  results of the negotiations.    In my speech at the previous Cabinet meeting, I raised our  considerations in this regard. You are aware that in response to  Azerbaijan's proposals, we have emphasized that there is nothing  unacceptable for us, but they do not generalize all the issues on the  peace agenda, and the security guarantees of the people of Nagorno  Karabakh, the protection of their rights and freedoms, as well as the  clarification of the final status of Nagorno Karabakh are of  fundamental importance for us. These issues are included in our  response to the peace agenda and they should become subject of  negotiations. Of course, as before, we consider the involvement of  the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs essential in this process, and we must  continue to work in that direction.  Naturally, there was a  discussion about the deterioration of the security environment in  Nagorno Karabakh, particularly the events in Parukh, but those  discussions did not lead to a joint assessment of the situation. I  must also say that I did not consider the further discussion of this  particular topic appropriate in the Brussels platform, because,  nevertheless, it is about the intrusion of Azerbaijani units into the  responsibility zone of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Nagorno  Karabakh, and we should discuss this issue with the participation of  our partners of the Russian Federation, which we do and will continue  to do. I have published our position on this issue. Accordingly, we  expect that the peacekeepers of the Russian Federation in Nagorno  Karabakh will take measures to ensure the withdrawal of Azerbaijani  units from the zone of their responsibility.    We also consider it important to conduct an investigation into the  activities of the Russian peacekeeping forces, the adequacy of their  actions, and possible inaction during the course of the developments,  about which I spoke during my telephone conversations with the  President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.    Returning to the Brussels meeting, let me inform you that the next  decision that was made was about setting up a bilateral commission on  delimitation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border by the end of April.   That commission will have a double mandate. The first is  delimitation. Second, ensuring security and stability along the  border. Discussions on this issue, you remember, including through  the mediation of the Russian Federation, have been going on for about  a year, and finally we came to such a compromise decision.  You know  that there are territories of the Republic of Armenia that are under  the control of Azerbaijan, there are territories of Azerbaijan that  are under the control of Armenia, these issues must be resolved  through negotiations, of course, on the basis of de jure  substantiated records and legally grounded facts.  

The Russian Federation has expressed readiness to support the  delimitation and demarcation work. The European Union is also ready  to support, we must move in this direction. You know that our  position is that there is a de jure border between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, and that is the border that existed in Soviet times.   With this consideration, it's necessary to start the delimitation  works and try to reach solutions, taking parallel measures to ensure  security and stability," Pashinyan said.