RA lawmaker: Armenia will sign peace treaty when it is confident that  it corresponds to country`s national interests

ArmInfo. The Armenian side has always considered the possibility of signing a peace treaty with  Azerbaijan in the very near future to be real. Chairman of the RA Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations Sargis Khandanyan told reporters today.

According to him, Armenia will sign the agreement when it is  confident that it fully corresponds to the national interests of the  country. Yerevan is constructive on this issue, but it is necessary  to keep in mind the principles stated by the Armenian side, which,  with the consent of Azerbaijan, will serve as a good basis for  concluding an agreement. One of these principles is mutual  recognition of the territorial integrity of states. In this regard, a  positive development is the joint statement of the offices of the  Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the Administration of  the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which can serve as a  good example for the further process. "Although the text of the  statement mentions the intentions of the parties to support each  other in joining international organizations, nevertheless, the  statement is more of a humanitarian nature," Khandanyan noted.

He emphasized that Yerevan has always advocated holding meetings at  the level of foreign ministers and heads of state with the  participation of other states and international organizations.  Khandanyan pointed, in particular, to the efforts being made by the  United States to achieve agreement between the parties to sign a  peace treaty. At the same time, he did not rule out that the United  States could put pressure on Baku so that one such meeting could take  place in Washington.

As for the initiatives of the Russian Federation, as the  parliamentarian noted, Moscow did not propose specific dates for  holding a meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia, Russia and  Azerbaijan. It is very important, Khandanyan continued, to ensure  consistency in the negotiation process. He recalled the Prague,  Washington and Brussels meetings, expressing the hope that they will  continue, at least in order not to start the process from a new  point.

Speaking about the upcoming early presidential elections in  Azerbaijan, the head of the RA National Assembly Committee expressed  the hope that this will not affect the negotiation process, and Baku  will not look for new reasons to delay it.