Stepanakert was forbidden to dialogue with Baku, but I was not the  one who forbade it - Pashinyan

ArmInfo.A number of representatives of the former elite of Nagorno-Karabakh hoped to take  power in Armenia if they suffered a fiasco in NK itself. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a similar statement on April 10 in parliament.

Thus, the head of the "Armenia" faction, former Minister of Defense  of the Republic of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan pointed out that in the  national security strategy of 2019, the goal of the Armenian  authorities was to ensure the self-determination of the Artsakh  people, as well as to achieve a solution to the conflict acceptable  to the authorities of Armenia and Artsakh. He asked so why the  presence of an elected government of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was  supposed to fight for the fate of the Artsakh people, for historical  values, poses a danger to Pashinyan.

"As for the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh or former  representatives of the NK elite, the problem is that they themselves  refused to do so. We have data, I think and evidence, that a certain  group of representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh, during various  discussions, warned that "if we continue to follow this path, then  this and that will happen." And the group you indicated did not react  - what was their plan?>," Pashinyan said in response.

According to the prime minister, they have documents that show what  this plan was - they thought "if it doesn't work out here, then we'll  take power in Armenia." Moreover, the head of the RA Cabinet of  Ministers noted, many in the "Armenia" bloc did not hide their  enthusiasm in connection with the changes and resignations in NK.

"But those who resigned (former president of NK Arayik Harutyunyan,  ed. note) at least said what would happen next, and we need to act.  But there was no reaction, and responsibility presupposes an adequate  response to the situation," said Nikol Pashinyan.  The head of the RA  government said that the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh had the  opportunity to start a conversation with Azerbaijan, but they did not  enter into this dialogue. "Why didn't they go? But because they were  forbidden, and I wasn't the one who forbade it. I couldn't and I  wouldn't want to," he said. At the same time, Pashinyan did not  specify who exactly forbade Stepanakert to conduct a dialogue with  Baku.