Ararat Mirzoyan: Armenia Lacks Authority to Discuss Alternative Routes for Cargo Transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, has responded to questions from the media.

Question: "Yerevan understands that it is necessary to persuade the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to meet with representatives of Azerbaijan." How do you respond to this statement by the Russian Foreign Minister? Does Yerevan continue to insist on having an international mechanism for dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert, or was the Russian Foreign Minister discussing meetings without it?

Response: The Armenian side's position regarding the need to address the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh has not changed in the context of achieving lasting peace in the region. We have repeatedly emphasized that these issues must be addressed through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert, and the effectiveness of that dialogue can only be guaranteed through international involvement and a functional mechanism.

Question: After the tripartite negotiations of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan held in Moscow, it has been understood from the words of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the issue of the rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh has been linked to the topic of protecting the rights of national minorities in Armenia. How does the official Yerevan interpret this statement?

Response: The issue of addressing the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh has always been the cornerstone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During the talks in Moscow on July 25 and in other capitals with Azerbaijan, the Armenian side raised and continues to raise the issue of ensuring the rights and security guarantees for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is, in essence, also enshrined in the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, where both the concepts of Nagorno-Karabakh and its territories, as well as the contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh, are specifically mentioned. Furthermore, the seventh point of the same tripartite statement defines the return of refugees to the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, which has not yet been implemented by Azerbaijan. This concerns places including Hadrut, Shushi, Martakert, Askeran, Shahumyan, and Getashen regions. Of course, the Armenian side also notes the rights and issues raised by Armenians who were forcibly displaced from various places in Azerbaijan, particularly from Baku, Ganja, Sumgait, and even from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic during 1988-1991.

Nevertheless, the issue of securing the rights and safety of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, as the indigenous people of the area, is fundamentally different and bears no similarity to the other topics, including the theme of the rights of 'citizens residing in the Republic of Armenia' (in the words of the Russian Foreign Minister), which are provided for by international obligations and fully ensured by Armenia. Thus, during the recent tripartite meeting in Moscow, there was no discussion or agreement outside this framework.

Question: The Azerbaijani side, referencing the statement by the President of the European Council Charles Michel following the tripartite meeting in Brussels on July 15, claims that an agreement was reached on ensuring cargo transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh through alternative routes. How do you comment on these statements?

Response: Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan made an agreement regarding the Lachin Corridor with the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, which bears the signatures of the leaders of these three countries. We reaffirm our principled position that the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor must be removed, and the regime established in the tripartite statement of November 9 must be restored. The Republic of Armenia lacks the authority to discuss questions related to alternative routes for cargo transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh. It is noteworthy that international partners have also emphasized in their public statements that the removal of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor has no alternative and that various references to other routes cannot be viewed as an alternative to restoring access through the Lachin Corridor, which is a direct obligation of Azerbaijan. In this regard, it is worth reiterating the legally binding decisions of the International Court of Justice dated February 22, 2023, and July 6, 2023, which unambiguously reaffirm our position.