On January 8, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed recent remarks by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Pashinyan responded to Aliyev's comments about Armenia, suggesting that Baku might attempt to create "legitimacy" to escalate tensions. He stated that aggressive statements were intended to provoke a reaction from Yerevan, which could then be used to justify further escalation. Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia would not take the path of aggression and would remain committed to peace, focusing on dialogue, delimitation, a peace treaty, and humanitarian issues, including the fate of missing persons.

When asked about Aliyev's accusation of Armenia being a fascist state, Pashinyan acknowledged that such rhetoric could fuel the cycle of mutual hostility but proposed that Armenia and Azerbaijan address their negative perceptions through dialogue and mutual understanding. He further noted that Armenia had proposed solutions to outstanding issues in the peace treaty, and they were ready to sign it if Azerbaijan responded positively.

Regarding the controversial corridor issue, Pashinyan reiterated Armenia's commitment to the "Crossroads of Peace" project, which aims to open transport connections across the region, including railways. He revealed that Armenia had made a concrete proposal to Azerbaijan regarding a railway project and was awaiting a positive response to move forward with construction.

On President Aliyev's comments about so-called "Western Azerbaijan," Pashinyan stated there was nothing new to address, reaffirming his previous position. He also responded to Aliyev's concerns about Armenia's military, asserting that Armenia's military reforms were legitimate and that Armenia recognized Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, expecting the same recognition from Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan emphasized Armenia’s right to have a defensible army but also proposed the creation of a mutual arms control mechanism to address concerns over military build-ups. He expressed disappointment over Azerbaijan’s accusations of ceasefire violations by the Armenian army, denying them and reiterating Armenia's proposal to establish a joint mechanism to investigate such reports.

Finally, Pashinyan confirmed that a meeting of the delimitation commissions was scheduled for January, expressing confidence that the positive progress made in 2024 would continue in a calm and productive manner.