Pashinyan: "Azerbaijan and Armenia recognised each other's territorial integrity in 1991"

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan and Armenia recognised the other's territorial integrity in 1991.

He told an online news conference on 23 November that the two countries had participated in the process of establishing the CIS 30 years ago and that mutual recognition was based on a declaration and an intergovernmental agreement signed at the time.

"We need to understand what we mean by specific terms. At that time, was there already the Karabakh issue? There was. But the question is: is the Karabakh problem a territorial problem? In our understanding, it is not a territorial problem. The Karabakh issue is a legal issue and not a territorial issue. It has nothing to do with it," Pashinyan said.

He said that when the current leadership of Armenia declares that the Karabakh issue is "distorted.”

"Because, according to the CIS documents of 1991, Armenia and Azerbaijan mutually recognised each other's territorial integrity. Did this mean that there is no Karabakh issue?" Pashinyan asked.

He noted that an important factor in the Karabakh issue was not taken into account - a "international issue,” and it is impossible to solve it with the position of Armenia alone.

"The rights of Karabakh Armenians must be taken into account," Pashinyan said.

The status of Karabakh and the opening of roads

According to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and the lifting of the blockade on regional communications will not be discussed in the 3+3 format.

"These issues are already being addressed in other formats, and there is no need to move them to another level," Pashinyan said.

He said that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is within the abilities of the OSCE Minsk Group, and a tripartite working group headed by the deputy prime ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia has been established to lift the blockade on communications.

"Issues that are not on the agenda of other formats should be discussed. Are there any? I cannot say, the future will show, but I can say that there are many issues that we pay attention to regional cooperation," Pashinyan said.

The 3+3 format proposed by the Presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan envisages the participation of three South Caucasus countries - Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

Document on demarcation and delimitation

According to Pashinyan, the delimitation and demarcation of the border and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue are separate issues that require different methods of discussion.

A possible document on the delimitation and demarcation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed not on the results of the process, but on the establishment of a working commission on delimitation and demarcation.

Pashinyan said there was a "misconception" that both sides were preparing to sign the document.

"This is not the case. It is likely that Armenia and Azerbaijan will set up a commission to delimit and demarcate the border. The document will not specify whether the border passes here or there," Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan about the new war and the missing

Asked whether there is a new threat of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Pashinyan said that "the threat of war still remains."

"Azerbaijan has an aggressive behaviour that must be prevented, including by the international community," he added.

Speaking about the tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on November 16, Pashinyan said that the number of captured Armenian servicemen is higher than previously announced.

He said that according to unconfirmed reports, some servicemen who were previously considered dead were also captured.

"I understand that it is inappropriate to talk like that. But there are 6 dead, 24 plus 8 prisoners. However, the information needs to be clarified. In addition, there are wounded among the prisoners," Pashinyan said.

On November 15 and 16, at least six Armenian and seven Azerbaijani servicemen were killed in clashes on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border using artillery and military equipment.

Azerbaijan said 10 fighters and Armenia 4 wounded.

In an earlier statement, Armenia said 13 people had been captured and 24 had been cut off from the fighting. The Armenian side said that the "missing" servicemen’s "fate is unknown, [an] intensive search is underway."