Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, at a press briefing Thursday, reiterated the notion that Baku's rhetoric about "Western Azerbaijan" is a mirror response to the processes taking place in Armenia. Pashinyan stated this in response to Armenian News-NEWS.am's question whether the aforementioned rhetoric means the failure of the peace process.

Pashinyan recalled that he had already addressed this issue in the National Assembly. He noted that the upcoming event in the US Senate, which is related to the Azerbaijani agenda, is currently being vigorously discussed, but the fact that about ten days ago, Armenian organizations brought an issue to the agenda, which essentially concerns the continuation of the Karabakh Movement, is being kept silent.

According to him, as long as Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) flags are placed in the sessions’ hall of the parliament of Armenia and such processes continue in the country, Azerbaijan's rhetoric will be reflected like in the mirror in the same way.

"I am at the helm of power [in Armenia], that's why I speak. All this has not had and will not have practical significance as long as we are in power [in Armenia] and express a clear position. This is not the lobbying of our power," Pashinyan stated.

He said that "any action that contradicts the decision of the people [of Armenia]" will be met with a response. The premier repeated this concept several times, emphasizing that in this regard, any problematic action or any attempt to continue the Karabakh Movement will be prevented, since the people of Armenia have decided so with their vote. Lastly, Pashinyan stated that he would not allow the people to be drawn into a new adventurism and will act exclusively within the limits of his powers and the law.

According to him, Armenia should not continue the Karabakh Movement, and Azerbaijan, in response to it, should not resort to mirror actions.

Commenting on the fact that the European Court of Human Rights has made a decision, essentially accusing Azerbaijan of a grave war crime for the murder of Armenian military officer Hayk Toroyan, and that similar crimes were also committed on the territory of Armenia, and that the Armenian prime minister himself once expressed an idea that could be perceived as a sign of equality between the two parties, Pashinyan said that he had never put a sign of equality between the actions of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In his view, the established peace should be cherished, because it is easy to destroy it, and the consequences may multiply such cases, and Armenia will again have to turn to international bodies.

And addressing the issue that some members of the Armenian public criticize the departure of Armenian citizens to Turkey, and Pashinyan himself has become a kind of symbol of a friendly attitude towards Turkey, the Armenian premier stated that he does not share this point of view. He noted that thousands of Armenian citizens are going to Turkey, and thousands of Turks are coming to Armenia, this is a natural process, and the two sides are preparing to reopen their border.

Pashinyan explained this negative attitude with inertia, which is characteristic of all sides. He noted that in everyday communication in Armenia, the word “Turk” is used as a negative characterization, often due to the lack of other arguments.

“This is a common problem, a matter of mentality,” Pashinyan noted, recalling that he had previously said that it does not offend him.

“This is an ‘outpost’ mindset rooted in Armenia. It has objective historical foundations, but it must change,” the Armenian prime minister added, urging everyone to follow their words.