For 30 Years, We've Been Tossed Around Like a Rag Doll: Prime Minister

Recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity means that we have effectively acknowledged the territorial integrity of Armenia. This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during his concluding remarks related to the government's program report on the implementation results for 2023 in the National Assembly.

According to him, the fact of recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is essential for acknowledging Armenia's territorial integrity because Armenia's territorial integrity is encased by Azerbaijan.

"Historically, even from the perspective of the USSR logic, Armenia is that country encircled by other nations; because if you do not recognize their territorial integrity, you do not recognize the existence of your own country. We have been led into this temptation, and this is how we ourselves have undermined the sovereignty of our nation. I may not love historical Armenia more than anyone else, but I refuse to love historical Armenia more than real Armenia," Pashinyan stated.

The Prime Minister addressed criticisms of pre-election programs: "When that electoral platform was registered, we have fully pursued those provisions, particularly regarding the processes that occurred within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. They criticize us but do not notice that the chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have been in conflict since 2014 and have been at war with each other since 2022.

Now they say we are turning Armenia into a geopolitical stage. Excuse me, but what was the OSCE Minsk Group if not a legitimate geopolitical competition over the Republic of Armenia? In other words, did you think that the interests of France, the U.S., and Russia, as well as the interests of the countries in the Minsk Group, align so perfectly that they would come in and do this and that? If we look from that perspective, we understand that on the contrary, they say you are not a subject of geopolitics; you are just being tossed like a rag doll. Excuse me, but we have been tossed around like a rag doll for 30 years, being flung from one side to another. Haven't you noticed that? They would come, saying 'say it like this,' and then go to the OSCE and do things differently. What was that if not geopolitical competition?" Pashinyan concluded, "On the contrary, we want to take Armenia out of that competition, to say, 'Wait a minute, friends, there is a country here, a government, a people, and there is a vision.'"