«If the 'results' of communications are to be like this, it is preferable not to meet» - Arthur Tovmasyan

The rights and security of the people of the Republic of Artsakh are among our key objectives, and it is very important that this was emphasized clearly by the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, during yesterday's press conference. This was stated by the President of the National Assembly of Artsakh, Arthur Tovmasyan, in an interview with the Artsakhpress news agency, adding that these two objectives converge on our people’s main goal—the realization of the right to self-determination and its complete recognition.

“We fully understand that we are living in difficult times, and the processes taking place in our region can provoke new military aggressions and unpredictable consequences at any moment. However, in order to avoid such outcomes, we cannot overlook our vital interests. In this sense, it was very important to hear the Prime Minister's remark that the current government of the Republic of Armenia is not willing to grant Azerbaijan a mandate for ethnic cleansing or genocide against Artsakh during the negotiations regarding a peace treaty with the official Baku,” Tovmasyan said, adding that the international community should also adopt a very clear and firm stance on this issue.

Referring to the information released recently by the Azerbaijani presidential administration stating that representatives of the Artsakh authorities are invited to Baku for dialogue, Tovmasyan noted that the Artsakh authorities have never shied away from communicating with the Azerbaijani authorities. “The point is that the agenda proposed by Baku is unacceptable for us. Unfortunately, previous communications, despite agreements, did not yield any results regarding agenda issues. Moreover, afterwards, on March 5, Azerbaijani armed forces conducted a terrorist act in the territory of Artsakh, resulting in the death of three and injuries to one policeman. If the 'results' of communications are to be like this, it is preferable not to meet,” Tovmasyan concluded.