Thursday, September 14 2023 12:25

ArmInfo.Armenia and Azerbaijan are conducting difficult negotiations for a peace agreement, Artur  Hovhannisyan, Secretary of the dominant parliamentary faction Civil Contract, told a briefing on September 14 as he commented on Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan's statement that the parties are still far from  each other on the most important issues. 

Hovhannisyan emphasized that the negotiation process takes time to  agree on all controversial issues. The deputy recalled that in  response to the fifth package of proposals from the Armenian side, a  response was received from Azerbaijan the day before. The process, as  the parliamentarian noted, is not at a dead end; it continues,  despite the complexity of the situation and the accumulation of units  of the Azerbaijani armed forces on the borders of Armenia and around  Artsakh. The faction secretary noted that the peace treaty should  present clear mechanisms, the use of which will ensure the  territorial integrity of Armenia.

In turn, NA deputy from the ruling faction Arusyak Julakyan noted  that the faction is not yet familiar with the details of the new  initiatives of the Azerbaijani side. But one fact, as the  parliamentarian noted, cannot be ignored: the reformatted nature of  Baku's previous proposals is obvious. "There is no agreement on all  issues, but negotiations continue. Ultimately, one of our ultimate  goals is to achieve peace and harmony in the region, even bearing in  mind the often unconstructive position taken by Azerbaijan," Julakyan  said, adding in this regard that this fact should not stop the  country's authorities.

Julakyan pointed out the need to unblock the Lachin corridor  connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.  Yerevan, the  parliamentarian continued, being one of the parties to the Tripartite  Statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan dated  November 9, 2020, has always adhered to the provisions of this  document, one of which concerns the unimpeded passage of citizens in  both directions, the transportation of goods and vehicles. Work on  this issue is being carried out with all international partners. Both  the United States and the European Union are sending clear signals to  Azerbaijan that other routes for delivering goods and people to  Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be an alternative to the Lachin corridor.

Both speakers refrained from commenting on pro-government media  reports about the presence of a 3,000- strong Wagner group in  Armenia. "The National Security Service is looking into this issue,  as the Prime Minister announced yesterday. Any such information must  be verified," Hovhannisyan said.