The 6 Points of Armenian Consensus: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page: "Consensus Point 1 – Violence must be excluded from the toolkit for resolving any issues internally in Armenia. All forces and individuals who view violence as a means to resolve any domestic issue must be rejected and cast into the garbage dump of Armenian history. A vision of a society and nation free from violence should become the cornerstone of our national unity.

This does not, of course, pertain to the use of lawful force in the context of preventing and uncovering crimes, as well as ensuring the normal functioning of society.

Consensus Point 2 – The people and their free expression of will are the sole source of power formation. Any attempt to distort or misrepresent the will of the people should be seen as anti-state and anti-national activity. In this regard, it is extremely important to conduct the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in the Republic of Artsakh in a free, competitive, and democratic environment, thereby ensuring genuine guarantees for the free expression of the people.

Accordingly, the Republic of Armenia must act and stand as a guarantor of the free expression of the people of Artsakh and the legitimate formation of power through that expression.

Consensus Point 3 – The sovereignty of Armenia and Artsakh, and of the Armenian people, is the highest value. All forces that try to involve foreign powers in resolving internal Armenian issues, as well as those who act as representatives of foreign interests in our country, must face and will face the harshest adverse reactions from the Armenian people and its legitimate representatives, the Government of Armenia.

Consensus Point 4 – Armenia and Artsakh must be free from corruption. All manifestations of corruption, including patronage, artificial monopolies, and creating artificial obstacles for competitors must be eradicated, and any material damages inflicted on the state and the people as a result of corrupt activities must be restored.

Consensus Point 5 – The supremacy of law and the equality of all before the law must become the foundation of inter-national relations. The existence of courts that are subject to external or internal influences poses a threat to national security. Courts in Armenia and Artsakh should be independent. The presence of privileged strata, circles, or individuals in any sphere of the economy, politics, and public life must be excluded.

Consensus Point 6 – The aim of the negotiation process on the resolution of the Artsakh issue must be to protect the results of the Artsakh liberation war waged for the self-determination and security of the people of Artsakh. Any solution deemed acceptable by the governments of Armenia and Artsakh through negotiations can only be considered acceptable if it receives popular approval in Armenia and Artsakh."