Armenia's Sarkissian, Pashinyan discuss possible delimitation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian President Armen Sarkissian met acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday, May 21 to discuss tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

At the meeting initiated by the President, the two weighed in on the process aimed at making the Azerbaijani military end its incursion and withdraw forces, as well as ruling out future encroachments on Armenian soil.

On the morning of May 12, the armed forces of Azerbaijan violated the border of Armenia in the southern province of Syunik, advancing 3.5 kilometers and surrounding Sev Lake, which is situated on the border between the two countries but is predominantly a part of Armenia. On May 13, the Azerbaijani military committed more border violations against Armenia, advancing near Vardenis (Gegharkunik province) and Sisian (Syunik province).

Sarkissian and Pashinyan also discussed the country's position on launching a delimitation and demarcation process and preconditions for such work. It was stressed that unless those preconditions are met and "relevant conditions" are created, no discussions will be held on the matter.

Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed earlier on Thursday that the Armenian government is indeed negotiating a new document with Azerbaijan and Russia. The redacted paper was first published by Armenia's former ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan, who said Pashinyan was going to sign the new agreement that would damage the interests of the country. Pashinyan maintained, however, that "those "solutions are 100% in line with the interests of the Republic of Armenia."