Nagorno-Karabakh calls for renewal of full-fledged negotiation format – premier  

Nagorno-Karabakh’s expectation from the continuing peace process is the re-establishment of the full-fledged negotiation format, Arayik Harutyunyan, the country’s prime minister has said, commenting on the recent Armenian-Russian-Azerbaijani presidential summit in St Petersburg.

 

“We call for reinstating the format ensuring Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation in the talks.  Azerbaijan won’t agree to that. And its non-constructive approach to the issue constantly protracts the final settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Arayik Harutyunyan said in an interview with the Russian publication Vzglyad.

 

“No success is possible without Karabakh’s direct and full participation. The people in Karabakh have to give their consent to a final option.”

Harutyunyan said the country hasn’t relaxed its vigilance since the signing of the 1994 ceasefire, with Azerbaijan having repeatedly resorted to aggression over the past period (despite the OSCE Minsk Group’sa active peace efforts).

 

“So I think what happened in April, leaves no room for doubt as to Azerbaijan’s real intentions. All that, of course, keeps the population in Artsakh high on alert, as they all the time face the threat of a physical extermination,” he noted.