ArmInfo.Three fundamental principles have been agreed on during the work at a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan stated at the hearing of the 2024 state budget on October 30.
According to him, if the parties remain committed to these three principles, a peace treaty with Azerbaijan will soon be signed. In particular, as the head of the Armenian Cabinet emphasized, the first principle concerns the mutual recognition of the territorial integrity of the two states. Azerbaijan recognizes the territory of Armenia with an area of 29.8 thousand square meters. km, and Armenia - the territory of Azerbaijan with an area of 86.6 thousand sq. km. Pashinyan emphasized that the accuracy of these figures often becomes a topic for criticism. The traditional distrust of them works here too. But, as the Prime Minister noted, the agreement on mutual recognition of the integrity of states was reached at the political level, the main idea of which should be a source that is not under the influence of the parties. This source is the Soviet encyclopedia of 1977, based on the data of which it is planned to carry out delimitation and demarcation of borders.
The second principle, according to the head of the Cabinet, concerns the delimitation of the border on the basis of the Almaty Declaration. "That is, the parties proceed from the fact that the administrative borders of the Soviet republics are already the state borders of countries, therefore, it is necessary to recognize their inviolability," the Prime Minister said, adding that in this matter it is important to have maps that reflect the reality of that time , and such maps exist.
The third principle, as Pashinyan noted, is the opening, on the basis of equality and reciprocity, of regional communications, which should operate under the jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass.
The prime minister also touched upon the possibility of normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations. He expressed hope that the agreements reached between the special representatives of the two countries will be implemented. In accordance with these agreements, it is envisaged to open borders to citizens of third countries and holders of diplomatic passports. "Significant work has been done in terms of border infrastructure. We have re-equipped the Margara checkpoint, and are already ready for the processes. Let's hope that these agreements will be implemented," added the RA Prime Minister.