If I Were the Leader of the Country, I Would Give Those Maps Without Preconditions: Hovik Agazaryan

Hraparak.am reports: "The authorities are making contradictory statements regarding the issue of granting a corridor to the enemy—Turkey and Azerbaijan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says that nothing will be given to Azerbaijan in terms of corridors, while the Secretary of the Security Council appointed by Pashinyan, Armen Grigoryan, states that corridors will be granted to Turkey and Azerbaijan. This means not just one corridor, but corridors. Corridor or road? Unblocking or bridge between Azerbaijan and Turkey? An era of peace or preparations for a new war? How do representatives of the government explain these contradictions?

Yesterday we posed questions to one of the most sincere MPs of the government, Hovik Agazaryan, who can be said to "naively" says what the government is trying to hide from the eyes of the people. Ultimately, will we grant a corridor or a road?

"As I understand it, a corridor will not be granted because the term 'corridor' implies perhaps the provision of a land area from our homeland. I understand that a corridor means that, which I exclude. However, unblocking roads is something I understand and accept," stated Mr. Agazaryan regarding his views on the corridor.

- From a purely structural sense, what else do you understand when you say corridor? Right now, we are in a corridor; do you understand what that means?

- In geopolitical terms, I understand the concept of 'corridor' to mean that the given country must give a specific section from its territory, based on certain considerations, to another country, which in our case, I am specifically against.

- But we are already giving territories; for example, a part of the Goris-Kapan highway has already been given, and the authorities do not deny that this is Azerbaijan's territory, and we cannot travel freely through there.

- I do not agree with that.

- But there is a contradiction regarding the corridor issue; Pashinyan says one thing, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan says another.

- If you are asking for my opinion, I have not heard the comments they made; I am expressing my opinion which I not only exclude, but such a question is not even being discussed.

- Is Nikol Pashinyan ready to meet with Aliyev, a person who made derogatory remarks about him, calling him "пяный шут"? How can one go and negotiate with such a person?

- Strong people do things like that.

- By the way, Pashinyan used to say he was ready to exchange his son, Ashotik, for our captives; now he also states he is ready to give all minefield maps in exchange for the captives. What is happening now, has Ashotik been removed from the agenda, is he no longer willing to exchange his son for our captives?

- If I were the leader of the country, I would give those maps unconditionally because it is a humanitarian issue, and that is the issue of a strong person. In this case, since our hostile country is not behaving adequately, I consider Pashinyan's position very correct, that is, the maps should be given in exchange for the captives."