Arsen Torosian, a former health minister who now represents the ruling Civil Contract party in the Armenian parliament, responded to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov’s claims that Yerevan maintains military presence in Karabakh and hampering Baku’s dialogue with the Karabakh Armenians.
Bayramov said on Tuesday that these are the main remaining obstacles to the signing of an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty. The Armenian Foreign Ministry did not react to those claims made ahead of a new round of negotiations which Bayramov and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan will start in Washington on June 12.
Torosian brushed aside them, insisting that Armenia has no troops in Karabakh and is on the contrary pressing for an “international mechanism” for the dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert. He said that Armenian and Azerbaijani sides have still not agreed on the “parameters” of that mechanism despite making major progress towards the peace deal.
“If we, the mediators and Azerbaijan want a lasting peace, then this issue has to be addressed,” Torosian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. “If the rights and security of our compatriots are not ensured in their homeland before or after the peace treaty, there will simply be no peace.”
Asked whether or not the planned treaty will make reference to that mechanism, Torosian said: “I can’t answer this question. But one thing is clear: if that issue is not addressed, then … what’s the point of signing it?”
Pashinian has made clear that Yerevan is ready to recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh through the treaty. The Armenian opposition and Karabakh’s leadership have denounced this policy change. They maintain that the Karabakh Armenians cannot live safely under Azerbaijani rule and would leave their homeland in that case.