Nagorno Karabakh has a decisive voice in peaceful settlement process of conflict – Armenia’s FM

The Nagorno Karabakh has a decisive voice in the peaceful settlement process of the conflict, Armenia’s foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in an interview to Sunday Analytical Show of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

“You know, now we are at the stage when we are forming grounds to continue the negotiation process. During this period Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, I had telephone conversations with the Co-Chairs [OSCE Minsk Group], the US Deputy Secretary of State, a US official visited here, we also hosted the French foreign minister in Armenia, I had a phone conversation with Russian foreign minister, and as long as I know, a statement has already been issued that I am going to pay a working visit to Moscow on June 7, and the main purpose of this visit is to meet with the Russian FM. These entire series are our work which is being carried out to continue the process”, the Armenian FM said.

He stated that the process has quite a long history, and one clear reality has been and remains in that history: Nagorno Karabkah has a decisive voice in this peaceful settlement process.

“I think it’s nothing new that Nagorno Karabakh has that decisive voice since eventually that conflict by the formulation of the Co-Chairs is called Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Nagorno Karabakh, let’s say it cautiously, is a unit with its territory, population, structures, public administration system, with its everything, which is impossible to ignore. From the very start its decisive voice has clearly existed in this whole process. And Nagorno Karabakh has been in different stages of the conflict, it has signed the ceasefire agreement… these are the realities, and we put this also within the negotiation process since we have supported and continue supporting the peaceful settlement via the negotiations within the frames of the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship”, the minister said.

Zohrab Mnatsakanyan highlighted the fact that the peaceful atmosphere has a key, vital significance for this. He stated that the numerous formulations, statements and calls that lead to the opposite direction are very concerning.