The Third Party May Have Its Own Interests and Perceptions: Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented the electoral program of the "Civil Contract" party, emphasizing that the political opposition often accuses the ruling party and himself of being pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani.

"But what has actually happened and is happening? The reality is that we have always operated through third countries in our relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey, meaning that 90% or more of our messages and agendas have been discussed through third parties. What have we discovered? We have established a very simple fact, which has both objective and subjective foundations. When you communicate with someone through a third party, you can never be certain that your messages are accurately conveyed to the recipient, and that the recipient's messages are accurately conveyed as well, because the third party may have its own perceptions, interests, and understandings, and we never know what those are," the Prime Minister stated.

According to Pashinyan, the beginning of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan is linked to the adoption of a concept of balanced and stabilizing foreign policy by the authorities. He noted that this policy has proven its effectiveness by allowing the stabilization of the country's external environment. The balanced and stabilizing foreign policy will become a strategy with the main goal of excluding imbalances in foreign relations or having the tools to balance them.

The head of the executive emphasized the importance of fully unblocking regional transport infrastructures. He referred to both the TRIPP project and the resumption of the Gyumri-Kars railway. According to him, this will not only strengthen peace and cooperation but will also turn the region into a hub of connectivity between North-South and East-West directions, a "Crossroad of Peace."