Armenia refrains from negotiations proposing 'stage-by-stage approach' to Karabakh peace - Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Hripsime Hovhannisyan

Armenia has repeatedly voiced its positions and priorities on the peace process around Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said today, reaffirming the strong opposition to a deal proposing a stage-by-stage settlement option.

"Armenia's positions and priorities have been raised repeatedly before, the latest [remarks] having been made at the foreign minister's press conference, as well as in my comments to Kommersant," Anna Naghdalyan told Tert.am.

Responding to the Azerbaijani news agency APA - about Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's recent statement in Moscow and the subsequent remark by Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the foreign minister of Armenia - the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the negoatiation process presupposes the "return" of the surrounding regions and the final determination of Nagorno-Karabakh's status through the expression of its people's will.

Speaking to the Russian newspaper on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman ruled out the possibility of negotiating a peace package proposing the "stage-by stage" approach. "Any option which does not envisage the unrestricted exercise of Artsakh's right to self-determination and is likely to pose hazards to its people's security is unacceptable for Armenia.

Neither are the proposals submitted back in 2018, which imply a phased settlement option. Moreover, it is since 2018 that Armenia has not conducted any negotiations that would be based on such a phased settlement process," she said.