I Once Said That Cooperation Should Not Be Confused With Marriage - Pashinyan

During a question-and-answer session with the government in the National Assembly, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reflected on international commentary regarding Armenia's foreign policy, expressing surprise at both local and international interpretations.

"I once said that cooperation should not be confused with marriage. After every visit, comments arise that need clarification. Previously, we discussed our search for constructing a new atomic reactor, and from the reactions in the international press, I understood that either our position is not well explained or that clarification has simply not reached the intended audience. We have made a strategic decision that our next reactor will be a small modular one. With whom will we build it? We have asked all of our partners who have such technology—will you be upset if we discuss this topic with others? Everyone said no.

When I go to Moscow, everyone says it’s over, implying that it will be built with Moscow. When we sign a memorandum with the USA and then go to Moscow, they say, 'You signed the memorandum, so why did you go to Moscow?' We go to China, and they say, 'We didn't understand.' We have been very transparent; at this moment, we want to receive proposals, and we are having discussions with both the USA, Russia, China, and France. We do not put a political component into it; we say that commercially, we need to see which proposal is advantageous for us and choose accordingly.

This topic involves dialogue with five partners, and these conversations are practical. Our working groups are visiting or need to visit various places to observe, study, and clarify. On the other hand, we need to make a decision in the next 1-2 years and sign a contract without it having geopolitical or foreign policy subtext. We want a small nuclear reactor, and we want it at a better price, with safer technology, and also with the possibility of the investment being recaptured in the shortest time possible. I ask that no one seeks geopolitical context behind this," Pashinyan concluded.