Video: We Must Ensure the Return of Artsakh Residents to Their Homes - PM Pashinyan's Meeting with Sergey Lavrov

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. Welcoming the Russian Foreign Minister, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated, "Dear Sergey Viktorovich, let me welcome you to Yerevan. Today we discussed, in expanded format, all the issues on our agenda. Of course, the most pressing issue for us right now is the situation that has developed in Artsakh. We need to make decisions on various issues, and the most important is the humanitarian aspect – we must ensure the return of Artsakh residents to their homes. Of course, we are already seeing a fairly good dynamic of Artsakh residents returning to their homes. And in fact, Russian peacekeepers are present in all designated areas, and they are already ensuring safety. This is a very important factor that ensures the security of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, there are still unanswered questions, issues that remain open – how will we ensure the right of return for residents of several regions, who will ensure the safety of our compatriots, and how will this be realized? These are, of course, questions that are on our agenda. We need to discuss and make decisions in this regard."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in his remarks, said: "Dear Nikol Vovych, I thank you for the warm welcome. Our delegation has arrived in Yerevan as part of the agreements between you, President Vladimir Putin, and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to comprehensively address all aspects of our cooperation and our allied, strategic relations. Of course, in the foreground are the questions related to the need to find solutions to the problems that have arisen around Nagorno-Karabakh. The declaration of November 9 provides an opportunity to solve these issues based on the agreements fixed in the document signed by the three leaders. First and foremost, this concerns the return of refugees and the resolution of all humanitarian issues regarding the current situation. We are committed to this, as you have already stated. Thank you for your high appreciation of the role our peacekeepers play, which is important not only in terms of ensuring security as the main component of their mandate, but also in terms of ongoing support for the individuals returning, those who are in need of humanitarian assistance. In addition to the role of peacekeepers, the interagency center, which is being established by President Putin’s directive and is already beginning its work, will specifically address all these issues. As I have already mentioned, we are actively engaging international organizations of the UN system, encouraging them to use their capabilities more actively and proactively for the residents of that region. We also actively support the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is working, including in Karabakh. Throughout this visit, we will also be considering the entire spectrum of our relations along the lines of the profile Deputy Prime Ministers of the Russian Government, in healthcare, in emergencies. You have already met with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, and the Director General of ‘Russian Railways’ is also in Yerevan. I am confident that the results of these sectoral negotiations will provide us with a positive and comprehensive picture that will advance our relations and which, as we sincerely wish, will support your initiatives aimed at stabilizing the situation in Armenia and resolving the issues related to Nagorno-Karabakh."

Nikol Pashinyan and Sergey Lavrov discussed a range of issues related to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the agenda of Armenian-Russian relations.