Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired a meeting on the macroeconomic and fiscal framework of the draft medium-term expenditures program for 2022-2024.

Before discussing the agenda, Nikol Pashinyan referred to the border situation in Syunik and Gegharkunik Marzes of Armenia, noting:
“The Ministry of Defense provides daily information to the public at large. The border situation is stable, but tense. I should stress on the other hand that the current situation is unacceptable to us. Our position is unequivocal: Azerbaijani troops must leave the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. Our armed forces are conducting tactical movements, but our position is that the situation has to be settled peacefully through diplomatic means. This is our approach and primary goal.

You know that we have applied to the Collective Security Treaty Organization with a request to activate specific mechanisms. In particular, you may know that there is a protocol on the procedure for CSTO response to crisis situations, and we will act in accordance with that protocol. To this end, we will continue our consultations within the CSTO framework. The process may not be going as fast as we would like, but there are collective security mechanisms in place, and we continue to work consistently to make them operational.

We will also continue our diplomatic efforts to provide the international community with full information about the situation in a bid to step up international pressure on Azerbaijan. Indeed, we will continue to work with our strategic partner, the Russian Federation. You also know that I have asked the Russian President for support, and consultations in this direction will continue.

In general, I think that Azerbaijan’s actions are destructive. They are taking steps to heighten tensions in the region. In our estimation, they are trying to disrupt the further implementation of the joint statements issued on November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021. Let me remind you that the statement of January 11 referred to the opening of regional communications and the facilitation of cargo transportations.

I wish to stress that the Republic of Armenia is interested in unblocking regional communications as we consider it an important economic priority. But I would also like to stress once again that Armenia has never discussed and will not discuss anything under the logic of a “transport corridor.” We are talking about the opening of communications in the region.

In general, we have the impression that the trilateral commission, headed by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, has carried out quite effective and constructive work, and now we have to think of implementing the results of that work. In this regard, it is strange to see provocations at this stage.

Let me stress once again: the opening of regional communications is not only acceptable for the Republic of Armenia, but it is also an important priority for us, since under the agreements reached, Armenia is supposed to get railway links with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, while Azerbaijan shall enjoy a railway communication with Nakhichevan. I mean cargo freights.

In the event of a general settlement of the situation, it will be possible to discuss the issue of passenger traffic on these routes as well. But we have to distinguish between the following: yes, the opening of communications is important for us. We signed the January 11 statement because it was in our best interest. We will work consistently to open communications in the region. But why am I talking about this? Because I feel that there is an attempt in public discourse to equate this with talking about the so-called “corridors?” The Republic of Armenia has never discussed and will not discuss anything under the logic of “corridors.” I wish to emphasize that this is the essence of the issue and we will be guided by this logic.

As for the border situation, our position is unambiguous: Azerbaijani troops must leave the sovereign territory of Armenia. I wish to stress that any talk about demarcation and delimitation is irrelevant in this case, and Armenia will continue to make diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue. This does not mean at all that our armed forces are inactive: they are conducting tactical operations, though our priority task is not to let the situation get out of control.”