By acceding to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 1991, Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan declared during today’s online press conference, touching upon Sputnik Armenia’s question about what the proposals of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for launching the stage of preparation for demarcation and delimitation of borders with Azerbaijan envisage, what is envisaged with regard to the unblocking of communications and whether the proposals imply recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

“The issues need to be distinguished — demarcation/delimitation, unblocking of communications and settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (these are different questions, and there are different methodologies for consideration). There is a great subtlety, and I have avoided talking about it. In regard to territorial integrity, when Armenia and Azerbaijan acceded to the CIS in 1991, signed a declaration and an interstate treaty on the formation of the CIS, they recognized each other’s territorial integrity. The Artsakh issue existed back then, right? The question is the following: Is the Artsakh issue a matter of territory? Based on our understanding, it is not a matter of territory, the Artsakh issue is a matter of law, and has nothing to do with territory. Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity under the documents of the CIS in 1991, but did this mean that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue doesn’t exist?” Pashinyan said.