In addition to the Russian approach to the settlement of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Yerevan on Saturday said proposals developed by the West to advance negotiations with Azerbaijan are also acceptable.
On Friday, Pashinyan said that Armenia had agreed to work around the main principles and parameters on establishing inter-state relations with Azerbaijan that were presented by Russia.
“In early September Armenia agreed to work on the basis of the main principles and parameters on establishing interstate relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan that were presented by the Russian Federation, and is ready to confirm it in Sochi. We hope that Russia will retain its proposals,” Pashinyan said in a tweet, referring to a scheduled meeting on Monday in Sochi with the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev.
His tweet, however, seemed to address comments made by Putin a day earlier, when the Russian leader said that the proposals emanating form the West—more specifically Washington—did not address the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and were forcing Armenia to recognize Azerbaijan’s rule over Artsakh.
During the congress of his Civil Contract party on Saturday, Pashinyan said that he was ready to sign an agreement in Sochi on Monday that would serve as a basis for normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and a future peace treaty.
He also advocated for the approaches proposed by the United States and the European Union, both of which have been engaged in an extensive diplomatic effort, which Russia says is aimed at undermining Moscow’s influence in the Caucasus.
He explained that one of the options proposed by the West suggests a status quo as far Karabakh is concerned and more focused on resolving relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This, Pashinyan said, is acceptable for Yerevan.
The other approach, he explained, is to resolve the Karabakh conflict and then address relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“A question arises,” Pashinyan said. “Which of these sides considers Nagorno-Karabakh as being part of Azerbaijan and which doesn’t. Unfortunately, the international community—all countries without exception—consider Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, and this is seen in all documents,” Pashinyan said.
“It could be the superpowers who are helping us achieve peace and who are guaranteeing the implementation of agreements,” Pashinyan said, adding that his Civil Contract party’s priorities of advancing democracy in Armenia has shifted to a “larger mission” of opening “an era of peaceful development for Armenia.”
“There have been attempts recently to create an impression within the Armenian society that there is a Russian proposal which is positive for us, and that there is a Western proposal which is negative for us, and that the Armenian government is rejecting the Russian program and is accepting the Western one. This has absolutely nothing to do with reality,” Pashinyan said.
Pashinyan emphasized, however, that there indeed are Russian and Western approaches to a solution of the issue. He said Armenia has agreed with the Russian approach and has reached a principled agreement in January of 2021, and the key provision of this agreement is that Russia is the guarantor of security of Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.
