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Pashinyan says Armenia had no involvement in Karabakh-Azerbaijan talks
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has issued a statement regarding the announcement of a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh).
The PM said that Armenia had no involvement in the negotiations between the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) (also known as the Republic of Artsakh) and Azerbaijan, nor in shaping the wording of the ceasefire statement. He expressed confusion regarding the claims made by the unrecognized republic's authorities about the withdrawal of Armenian Armed Forces, saying he “didn’t understand” them.
Nevertheless, he pledged to take them into account, as Yerevan has asserted the absence of Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh since August 2021. Pashinyan regarded Armenia's inclusion in the treaty as an attempt to drag the country into military actions.
The Armenian Prime Minister also addressed reports suggesting that Russian peacekeepers had prepared the agreement. He stated that if this were true, they would bear the responsibility for ensuring the safety of Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian population.
Pashinyan indicated that based on his latest information, the intensity of conflict in the region had notably decreased, and expressed optimism that further military escalation could be averted.
Earlier today, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced a ceasefire in Karabakh, taking effect at 12:00 Moscow time, as part of an agreement with the authorities of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The agreement reportedly entails the disarmament and withdrawal of “Armenian forces” from the region.