YEREVAN. – The return of any territory to Azerbaijan can become a subject only if the status of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) is determined, Vladimir Hakobyan, Press Secretary of the President of Armenia, told RFE/RL Armenian service. 

“In his [recent] interview [with Rossiya Segodnya news agency  of Russia], the President of the republic did not reflect on all the provisions which the [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group] co-chairs had proposed for the package solution of the key issue [of the Karabakh conflict],” Hakobyan noted, in particular. ‘“As long as Artsakh’s status is in limbo, no other matter can be resolved,’ the President stressed.

“The [conflict] settlement proposal package specifies the need for land connection between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. (…). There cannot be even a word about any enclave status [for Karabakh].

“Especially after the April war [which Azerbaijan had unleashed], current status of the contiguous territories—which are a safety zone—is more than justified.”