The right of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to self-determination, without limitations, is one of Armenia’s main approaches to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is what Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in an interview with Interfax.

Asked if he is ready to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Armenia’s foreign minister said the following: “Of course, we’re ready to meet, and, of course, we’re ready to continue the efforts. Here I would like to emphasize once again that our work is important for finding mutual concessions, ensuring security and renouncing the use of force and maximalist approaches. There are specific and important priorities for Armenia. For Armenia, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is an absolute priority. Exercise of the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, without limitations, and ensuring of real and tangible security for Artsakh are major priorities. Armenia is ready to work with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Azerbaijani side to find formulations that will allow us to synthesize and measure the size of possible mutual concessions.

Another major point concerning Nagorno-Karabakh is that it has shown its absolute capability of organizing public life, ensuring its security and assuming international commitments throughout the past thirty years. Full involvement of Artsakh in the negotiations is a major issue, and, by the way, it is practical. This will reinforce the sense of ownership of the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh over the negotiations which, being elected by the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, have the appropriate mandate to represent the interests of the people.”