11:10, 17 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan do not plan to sign any document during the forthcoming meeting within the framework of the European Political Community Summit in Granada on October 5, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.
“Unfortunately, not,” Pashinyan told reporters when asked whether or not any document is going to be signed during the summit.
“Had there been plans to sign a document it would have meant that we found that document to be in line with Armenia’s balanced interests and are ready to sign it. We’ve said that the peace agenda is our priority and we want to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan as soon as possible, for example by yearend, or the beginning of next year. And we are doing everything for that. I’d really like to be able to say that a document is planned to be signed in Granada, but unfortunately not. We hope to intensively continue the negotiations and reach a solution to the issue,” Pashinyan said when asked whether or not Armenia and Azerbaijan plan to sign a document at the summit.
Pashinyan underscored that the deteriorating, critical humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor are negatively impacting the peace process.
Asked whether or not he finds the signing of a peace treaty to be possible by yearend given the current situation, Pashinyan said that he always finds it to be possible , because he has assumed political commitment to sign such a treaty. “And the more this treaty is delayed the worse it is in terms of our political commitment. My job is to do everything to make it possible, based on the reality that it is possible,” Pashinyan said, expressing hope that the situation would change.
The Prime Minister said that the Armenian government continues to work in the direction of achieving the opening of Lachin Corridor, overcoming the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, and starting the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue.