00:58,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has commented on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s proposal to consider Georgia as a platform for negotiations.

In an interview with Public Television, Pashinyan said Aliyev’s offer could be interpreted as an attempt to nullify the already agreed upon principles by shifting to another platform, now when the issue of holding a meeting in Brussels is being discussed.

“A meeting took place in Granada, and the principles of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, from our and the EU’s perspective, were recorded in the EU platform. Now it is clear that when we meet in Brussels the conversation should take place within the framework of these principles, which, I wouldn’t say is in line with Armenia’s interests alone. The Republic of Armenia has accepted this, and by the way Azerbaijan has also accepted. And now, when we are discussing the issue of meeting in Brussels, where basically there’s a circle to be underscored, and when Azerbaijan is attempting to propose another platform, this could be interpreted by us that by moving to another platform Azerbaijan wants to cancel the already agreed upon principles,” Pashinyan said.

He said that the principles must be stipulated, signed and announced, which would make the framework of discussions clear.

PM Pashinyan said that the concerns that Azerbaijan could actually be plotting a new escalation are getting stronger.

“We are not against any conversation, but we are against the logic that would push us out from the framework of already agreed upon principles,” the Armenian PM added.