Government-opposition meeting cancelled as MP Pashinyan unilaterally makes new demands

Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan released a statement noting that the planned April 25 meeting with opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan will not take place because the lawmaker has unilaterally made new demands.

“Dear citizens,

As you know, tomorrow the meeting between me and Nikol Pashinyan had to take place for discussing the situation and seeking solutions.

I am informing that the announced meeting will not take place because Nikol Pashinyan has unilaterally made new demands – particularly in terms of the format, agenda and [media] coverage of the meeting. [Pashinyan] has suggested a list of persons from our side, as well as announced that he will negotiate exclusively around his agenda. This doesn’t mean negotiations or dialogue, this means to voice exclusively your own views and agenda – up to deciding our negotiators instead of us.

Having certain experience in holding negotiations – I have never heard about negotiations in such format before.

Being concerned over the situation, as head of the executive [branch], having the obligation to ensure the normal rhythm of our country, I am addressing the President of the Republic of Armenia to organize a meeting with a format under his preference with the participation of broad spectrum of both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political forces – in order to discuss the domestic situation and possible settlement paths – right up to holding snap parliamentary elections”, the acting Prime Minister said in the statement, the PM’s office said.