Zohrap Mnatsakanyan Slams Pashinyan: "Zhoghovurd"

According to the newspaper "Zhoghovurd," yesterday, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to independent MP Tigran Urikhanyan's question, stating, "During Soviet times, there were 40,000 Azerbaijanis living in Karabakh. Where are the guarantees that those 40,000 Azerbaijanis would not want self-determination themselves?" On this topic, "Zhoghovurd" interviewed the former Chief Prosecutor of Armenia, Doctor of Law Gevorg Kostanyan. He noted that the Prime Minister's statement in the National Assembly regarding the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Artsakh could unsettle even those who should have already grown accustomed to his fabrications. "Essentially, the PM is once again trying to call on Azerbaijani refugees to assist him in preserving his position," Kostanyan said, continuing: "The issue of potential refugee return has long been a subject of discussion in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the framework of the 'Chiragov against Armenia' and 'Sargsyan against Azerbaijan' cases. Among those participating in these discussions were former Minister of Foreign Affairs Z. Mnatsakanyan, former advisor to the President of Artsakh E. Babayan, as well as the current Armenian ambassador to the Council of Europe. The discussions were substantive regarding what documents would be presented, under what conditions, and which localities Azerbaijani refugees could return to, and what obligations Azerbaijan would assume afterward. Most importantly, this process needed to be carried out with the direct involvement and participation of the authorities of Artsakh, and arising disputes should be resolved by Artsakh's courts. Additionally, a similar discussion was held regarding the return of Armenian refugees to areas under Azerbaijani control, such as Getashen, Artsvashen, Ganja, Baku, and other localities. The return of Armenian refugees to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani refugees to Artsakh was discussed as part of a single package. However, in this matter as in all others, the PM and his government did nothing but retreat and capitulate. As I mentioned in one of my earlier interviews, this issue was completely derailed by Nikol during the January-February 2020 session in the Committee of Ministers. I believe that after Nikol's recent speech in the National Assembly, even the highly diplomatic Zohrap Mnatsakanyan had no choice but to slap Nikol Pashinyan for distorting obvious facts shamelessly," Kostanyan concluded.

The full article can be read in the "Zhoghovurd" newspaper from May 6, 2021.