I Picked Up the Phone and Called Armen Sarkissian: Nikol Pashinyan

During a meeting with journalists, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the absence of President Armen Sarkissian at the joint meeting of the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh in Stepanakert, stating that he personally called and tried to invite Armen Sarkissian, but for some reason, he was unable to establish contact with him.

“I went to Stepanakert the morning before the Security Council meeting. We had various discussions throughout that day because we needed to take precise action. What we had to do, in what framework, and in what format was only decided the night before. At the time it was clearly established what should take place, I personally picked up the phone and called Armen Sarkissian, and unfortunately, I could not get in touch, I do not know for what reason,” he said.

Pashinyan clarified that after that, he instructed the Secretary of the Security Council to contact the President and invite him to the meeting. “There is another scandal there—regarding the helicopter—because the Minister of Defense had a meeting; he was supposed to arrive by helicopter the next morning, and I also told the Secretary of the Security Council to convey to the President that we request him to come in the morning with the Minister of Defense and be present,” Nikol Pashinyan stated, noting that afterward, he had not had the opportunity to clarify with the President what had happened or why he did not attend the Security Council meeting.