STEPANAKERT—Armenia’s newly-elected prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, said on Wednesday Armenians cannot discuss mutual concession until Azerbaijan recognizes Artsakh’s right to self-determination.
He made the statement at a press briefing in Artsakh where he traveled to mark the 26th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi and to meet with Artsakh President Bako Sahakian.
“We can speak about mutual concessions in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution process only in the event that Azerbaijan gives a clear message that Baku is ready to recognize the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination,” Pashinyan said during a press briefing.
“I have already expressed my opinion on mutual concessions. There can be no talks about mutual concessions when the Azerbaijani leadership makes announcements about occupying Yerevan or Zangezur,” added Pashinyan who met reporters after meetings with Sahakian and Artsakh’s defense and military leaders.
On his first visit to Artsakh as Armenia’s prime minister, Pashinyan called on the international community to view Artsakh and the Karabakh conflict through its historical perspective and characterize it as a conflict that began with Azerbaijan’s direct threat to the Armenians’ “right to life, security, and identity.”
“This means Azerbaijan was a threat to the existence of the people of Artsakh—a real threat—and those threats were not demonstrated through slogans or speeches, but concrete actions—by waging a war against the civilian population,” said Pashinyan.
He also urged the international community to be more direct—and public—in its assessment of Azerbaijan’s continued military threats against Artsakh, saying that while that issue might have been expressed to official Baku through diplomatic channels, the time has come for international stakeholders to call out Azerbaijan for its military rhetoric.
Armenia’s prime minister also reiterated his position that Artsakh must become a full-fledged part of the peace talks and return to the negotiating table as a party to the conflict.
Pashinyan said that the government of Armenia will continue to prioritize Artsakh and further strengthen its relations with Stepanakert, which he said would give new impetus to the effort to garner international recognition for Artsakh.
“Based on today’s discussions we made sure that there will be effective cooperation on ensuring the security of Artsakh and Armenia. These issues will permanently be in the focus of the Armenian Government,” Pashinyan emphasized.
Im beggining to like this guy already, he is like a little Trump!
Pashinyan and Trump are like night and day. He comes from the among common people, Trump was spoon fed by his wealthy family and received one million dollars from his father for his first job. He is an intellectual and eloquent speaker, Trump is a glorified Real Estate agent and a wheeler/dealer with the vocabulary of a 2nd grader. He is people’s leader and a family man, Trump is a lying manipulator, a misogynist and a double-talking racist. He elevates the Armenian image abroad, Trump is an insult to the American intelligence!
IT’s ABOUT TIME AN ARMENIAN LEADER EXPRESSED THE WILL OF UNITED ARMENIA.
Now the big question is, what or who was preventing Serzh Sargsyan from making these same statements all these years?
Why is it suddenly so easy to now state that Artsakh must be a party to the talks when this was something they themselves have been demanding for so long?
I would argue because Sargsyan was representing the interests of his clan while Pashinyan represents the will of the Armenian nation and all those who sacrificed their youth and lives to liberate Artsakh from artificial Azerbaijan. I don’t recall Sargsyan ever revealing his policy to the Armenian public and always worked in the shadows. One day he was going to maintain the status-quo and the next day he was warning artificial Azerbaijan to recognize Artsakh’s independence for their aggression when the Artsakh liberation war was not only about its independence from artificial Azerbaijan occupation but about its reunification with Armenia in the first place. Pashinyan made it crystal clear the day he was elected Prime Minister that there won’t be any negotiations with artificial Azerbaijan without Artsakh’s participation in the negotiations and its full independence and self-determination. In any event, all these former shady leaders should be interrogated, their financials exposed, all the stolen money returned to Armenian treasury followed by proper and just persecutions of those who squandered the Armenian tax payer’s money and incarcerations according to the laws of the country.
Had we had a president like Nikol Pashinian 27 years ago, Armenia would have been a different country. With the leadership of Nikol, we have lot of catching up to do to recover from the damages done by the three previous presidents.
Armenians of the world. Brace yourselves. The revolution of love is going to ripple out from Armenia. Armenians of the world will show their love for Armenia. Armenia will grow and this love will go against the voices of hate in four corners of the world. I am emotionally happy that I am Armenian. Armenia will be the epicenter of LOVE. There is no need to punish people. We need to surrender to this love. Strengthen Armenia, economically, socially and even militarily. Trust me we will be fighting hatred on all fronts. And you know what. We will win.
First, regarding the military, there needs to be a mechanism to allow diaspora youth to serve directly in the military. This would obviously increase the man power countering Azerbaijan, who has increased their man power to 126k while Armenia and Artsakh has 60k collectively. This would also increase the pool of already trained personnel in case of any future wars who would understand the system. Also many enlisted would stay after service and repatriation Armenia and Arstakh increasing the domestic population and contribute directly. Further, having diaspora youth at the front lines would bring real skin into the game from the dispora and therefore direct support like nothing seen before. Last it would cement the fact that what was always needed for Armenia’s future, is UNITY of ONE Armenia, Artsakh and Diaspora, as the only real answer to Armenia’s and Artsakh’s growth, stability and security..These self evident ideas i present seemed to be ignored by the previous administration because I am convinced that they didn’t want outside influence. They only wanted outside money…Hopefully the NEW PM will implement the necessary “unity mentality” and first start with allowing and implementing military service for ALL ARMENIANS.