I would find it difficult to say a time as to when the peace treaty will be signed, but peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been recorded, confirmed through the initialing of that treaty. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Wednesday told this to reporters at the National Assembly of Armenia.

In response to the remark that unconstructive statements from Azerbaijan continue, the Armenian FM said: “And I can say that constructive steps from Baku are also continuing. Don’t you agree? Just a minute ago we were talking about cargo entering Armenia via Azerbaijan. Can you describe this as unconstructive? I think not.”

Regarding Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev calling Armenia’s Lake Sevan “Goycha” and whether this fits into the peace agenda, Mirzoyan noted: “It does not fit, but with one clarification: I don’t want to act as anyone’s lawyer, but the wording was such that on Tsarist [Russia’s] maps there is no ‘Sevan,’ there is ‘Goycha.’ I don’t think Aliyev is saying that today there is no ‘Sevan,’ there is ‘Goycha.’ Still, it is not the most constructive wording; we really wouldn’t say this fits into the peace narrative. And I can say that there are many Tsarist-era maps where there is ‘Sevan.’ I don’t event want to go too far back in history because a very awkward situation could arise seeing Armenian place names over a somewhat wider area.

Let’s talk about the real Armenia, today’s actual borders, the borders recognized by Azerbaijan. You say ‘unconstructive narratives,’ but on the other hand, let’s look at what there is in reality. There is a signature on mutual recognition of borders with the Alma-Ata declaration and territorial integrity. For me, as a government member, the significance of this is incomparably greater. There is transit of Armenian cargo through Azerbaijani territory, via the Azerbaijani railway. For me, this is a phenomenon and step that has a incomparably greater significance. I wouldn’t say those statements are good, but gradually we will move forward.”