We Also Have Occupied Villages: If Azerbaijan is Ready to Return Them, Then Yes, We Are Ready - Pashinyan

Baku has submitted a demand to the UN stating that Armenia must return the "still occupied 8 villages." In response, Yerevan points out that Azerbaijan has also occupied villages, raising questions about the possibility of exchanging or returning these lands.

In an interview with Azatutyun, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated, "If Azerbaijan is ready to return them, we are ready." He added, "We also have occupied villages, and a village isn’t just the village administration building or, say, the village of Berkaber, Vazashen, Aigekhoyvit, Paravakar. Is Azerbaijan ready to return them? If they are ready, then yes, we are ready."

Pashinyan highlighted another critical issue: "Let’s say the Azerbaijani or Armenian forces are positioned along this line, and they must withdraw from that line. We fundamentally agree, but where will they go? How will that line be determined? This means there is a border. If there is a border, then let’s take that border, and the Azerbaijani forces must not be on this side of the border line, and the Armenian forces must not be on that side of the border line."

Pashinyan emphasized that it is very possible that the peace treaty will be signed about how and within what timeframe this will physically happen, rather than waiting for this to happen first. "We are ready—not for them to withdraw first and then sign, but we should sign first, and then both sides withdraw. But it must be written and signed in such a way that it leaves no room for misinterpretation," he added.