Why the Names of the Latest Aggression Victims Are Not Being Released, Situation at the Border: Pashinyan's Press Conference

The situation at the border is tense, and given Azerbaijan's aggressive rhetoric, new provocations should not be ruled out, stated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a public broadcast.

In response to the question of why Azerbaijan's positions have become aggressive at this time, the Prime Minister recalled that the whole attention of the international community is currently focused on the events surrounding Ukraine, similar to how during the 44-day war, the coronavirus pandemic was also at the center of attention.

Regarding why the names of the victims from the recent aggression have not been published, Pashinyan said that not releasing the list of names does not mean that everything is being kept secret, as the families are informed. According to the Prime Minister, there are bodies that have not yet been identified.

“Taking into account previous experiences, when incorrect names were published, and to avoid misunderstandings, it is appropriate that the names be made public through institutional mechanisms,” emphasized Pashinyan.

Touching upon the negotiation process, Pashinyan noted that it is a misconception that only a narrow circle is aware of the negotiation process. In his words, a rather broad circle, including not just the “Civil Contract” party and the National Security Council, but also the authorities of Artsakh, are kept informed about the negotiation process.

According to the Prime Minister, the opposition also had the opportunity to be informed about the negotiation process since he has always been willing to share this information. “Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sargsyan are the leaders of two factions, they refused to receive that information. The force led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan also refused to receive that information. I share this information with extra-parliamentary political forces as well,” said Pashinyan.

He added that at one time, an invitation was also extended to the Armenian National Congress to participate in this format, but they refused.