Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) meets with Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan on Oct. 12, 2022 in Yerevan
The Pashinyan administration is denying reports suggesting that the Armenian government has cut ties with the authorities of Artsakh.
Last week, after Azerbaijani forces attacked Martuni and Martakert killing four soldiers, the Artsakh parliament called on Yerevan to suspend talks that were underway in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov.
The Artsakh foreign ministry also called on Armenian authorities to refrain from signing any peace deal that would jeopardize the lives of the Armenians in Artsakh.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that talks would continue in Washington, essentially rejecting the plea from Artsakh lawmakers and, at the same time, echoing the State Department, which said that while the U.S. was concerned about the incident in Artsakh, there would be “no change” in the schedule of the talks.
“Various media outlets have been circulating reports claiming that the authorities of Armenia have ceased contacts with their Nagorno Karabakh colleagues at all levels. Furthermore, the reports claim that the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor is outside of the agenda of the government of Armenia,” said Pashinyan’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghadasryan, who called the claimed “untrue.”
“It is worth noting that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated on many occasions that he maintains intensive, daily contacts with Arayik Harutyunyan [the Artsakh President], Baghdasaryan added. “The Nagorno Karabakh President has confirmed this in public speeches and various other venues.”
“As a reminder, a working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan was set up in late 2022 with the purpose of managing the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and supporting the people of Nagorno Karabakh, tasked with monitoring humanitarian issues together with the authorities of Nagorno Karabakh and providing the necessary urgent support, including with the help of international organizations,” Pashinyan’s spokesperson said.
“The working group is composed of the Minister of Healthcare, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructrures, Minister of Economy, as well as representatives of other government agencies,” Baghdasaryan explained.