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.