We Told Artsakh Residents Not to Leave, They Said They Wouldn't Let Us Come to Armenia: Hrachya Hakobyan

KP MP Hrachya Hakobyan does not consider the recognition of Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan by Prime Minister Pashinyan in 2023 as handing over Artsakh. Instead, he suggests that Artsakh was surrendered in Yevlakh.

He also rejected the questions about why a road has been handed over from Syunik: "Did we give a road from Syunik when that road will be under the control of the laws of the Republic of Armenia? Do you consider that we have given this road?" Hakobyan stated.

In response to the question about what price they would pay for the so-called peace they mentioned, particularly regarding whether Artsakh would be handed over, Hakobyan said, "You know who handed over Artsakh, those people who went and signed in Yevlakh."

He mentioned that they used to tell the residents of Artsakh to stay and live on their land. As for why they do not talk about the return of Artsakh residents now, Hakobyan declared, "At that time we said don’t leave, they told us they wouldn’t let us come to Armenia, now they have come to Armenia and say you won’t let us return to Artsakh."

In response to a clarifying question from an Artsakh journalist regarding how 120,000 Artsakh residents should live with Azerbaijanis, he said, "Why do you now want to return to Artsakh? We also wanted you to live safely, we said go negotiate with the Azerbaijanis, but not to reach the point where the documents for the resolution of Artsakh were signed in Yevlakh."

In response to journalists' comments stating that nothing was signed in Yevlakh, Hakobyan started to retort: "So where was it signed? Come and stand in my place; you answer the questions."