YEREVAN. – The announcement that Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation changes the format of the negotiation process is the most bizarre, and a misinterpretation of the situation, noted Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, at his press conference on Tuesday (PHOTOS).

“But this is not a proposal to change the format, but rather a proposal to restore the format,” the PM said. “And so that my words would not sound empty, let me bring several facts.”

First, he recalled that when the OSCE Minsk Group was formed, the participation of Nagorno-Karabakh’s elected and other representatives as stakeholders was stressed in the document that was adopted by this organization, and among the potential participants invited to its conference.

Second, Pashinyan noted that in May 1994, the ceasefire agreement was signed by the then defense ministers of Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), and Azerbaijan; and this document clearly stated that the conflicting parties were signing it. 

Third, the Armenian premier stated that, in December 1994, the Budapest Declaration was adopted, and one of its chapters is devoted to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This chapter states that the forum participants welcome the ceasefire agreement signed by the conflicting parties.

Subsequently, Pashinyan pointed to the March 1995 statement by László Kovács, the then OSCE Chairman-in-Office, and based on the results of the talks in Prague. This document notes that the Chairman-in-Office approves the previous OSCE decision on the two countries’ and another party’s (Nagorno-Karabakh) participation in the negotiation process and the Minsk Conference.

“This is an agreed format recognized at international level,” Nikol Pashinyan stressed. “That is, those who speak about a change in the format are badly informed about it.”