At present, I will avoid any comments on the matter of concluding a military and political alliance between Armenia and Artsakh, because there is still a need to speak and assess to some extent. The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, noted this at Monday’s press conference in Stepanakert, the capital city of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic).

“The matter of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflict is first of all a human matter, a matter of existential physical safety for our compatriots,” the minister said. “This is a top priority matter for all of us, a national matter, and the matter of status stemming from it; these two together form our important priorities. In this context, we carry out policy within the framework of the pacific settlement process.

“Peace has no alternative, and we insist on this point—based on the self-confidence that Artsakh and Armenia have sufficient capacity to advance the peace agenda. And these are the overarching tasks to whose objective will serve each and every action that needs to be thought-out, assessed, and conscious.”

Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian, for his part, said that the matter of signing a military and political alliance is under discussion.

“I believe as a result of a positive course, we can get a situation when, having such a document, we will underscore the subjectivity of the Artsakh Republic,” he said, “which will have a positive impact on Armenia to some extent, in terms of avoiding certain pressures.”

Also, the Artsakh FM stressed that this decision shall be made and implemented as a result of joint work.