‘Baku and Stepanakert Have Conflicting Views on Negotiations,’ Says David Babayan

Advisor to the President of Artsakh and former Minister of Foreign Affairs David Babayan stated that he has no information regarding a potential dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku mediated by the United States in one of the European cities in the coming days. Nevertheless, in an interview with Tert.am, he expressed doubts about the possibility of such a dialogue occurring soon.

According to Babayan, the issue is not the mediation but rather what needs to be discussed with the Azerbaijani side. The former Foreign Minister emphasized once again that they are not against meetings as long as the appropriate format is maintained, which Azerbaijan does not observe.

“The perceptions regarding negotiations between Baku and Stepanakert are conflicting. Azerbaijan's conditions are well known: Artsakh must capitulate, dismantle all its state institutions, including the army, and I don't know what will become of it within Azerbaijan. This is unacceptable for us. If we are negotiating genuinely about the resolution of the conflict, that is another matter, but we have conflicting approaches. This is the issue. We can talk about humanitarian matters such as prisoners, missing persons, electricity, gas, and others right on site. However, all these matters are closed issues, especially considering the events of the past two days,” pointed out the advisor to the President of Artsakh.

Additionally, Armenian special envoy Edmon Marukyan believes that a solution that could ease tensions might involve negotiations between representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Responding to the Armenian special envoy's suggestion, David Babayan mentioned that such issues should not be approached theoretically.

“What tensions should we ease? You see the current situation. Should we go and discuss how they want to dismantle the state? Aliyev is now mocking Armenian statehood, saying this is not a state. Well, let Edmon go negotiate with the Azerbaijanis about their return to Yerevan; why isn't he negotiating? It is the same question. Tomorrow they will come and say, ‘Edmon, come to Baku, you must talk and say that 100,000 Azerbaijanis should return to Armenia; let him go negotiate,’” he added.

It should be noted that, according to circulating information, a dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku is set to take place in one of the European cities in the coming days mediated by the United States.