Unless the Baku authorities are willing to initiate direct negotiations with Artsakh, we will not discuss anything in a mediated format, says Arayik Harutyunyan, a former prime minister who currently leads the Free Fatherland party.
Arayik Harutyunyan rules out ‘mediated talks’ with Azerbaijan
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: “That’s not a constructive approach,” he said in an interview with Tert.am, ruling out a return to past practices. “And that’s not just the approach pursued by the Artsakh authorities; that’s how the citizens of Artsakh – as well as the entire Armenian nation – actually think. Certainly, we are not closing the door to a dialogue in that way, but as long as the Baku authorities are willing to negotiate with Stepanakert, we are not going to discuss anything in a mediated format.”
Harutyunyan also agreed that the Azerbaijani authorities have consistently torpedoed the peace process ever since its launch, rejecting all the calls for a negotiated settlement. He added that Armenia resorted to absolutely “adequate and justified actions” after the April 2016 offensives to avoid undesired scenarios. “And that isn’t absolutely aimed at pushing the negotiations into a deadlock. It is a reality that has to be accepted both by Baku and the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs,” he said, when asked to comment upon the allegations Armenia may be facing a deadlock after the international mediators’ recent call.
