Mixed reactions have been coming from Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanded, again, that Karabakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan be removed from power.

Aliyev said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this past weekend that Azerbaijan was ready to start cooperation with the Armenians of Karabakh but only after Ruben Vardanyan is removed from there.

Karabakh lawmaker Artur Harutyunyan from the ruling Free Motherland - UCA Alliance said on Sunday, February 19 that he could not say anything about Vardanyan’s resignation but added that “certain discussions are ongoing, the results of which will become clear in the coming days.”

“The authorities of Artsakh are working cooperatively,” Harutyunyan told http://Infoport.am .

Nagorno Karabakh presidential spokesperson Lusine Avanesyan said, however, that Vardanyan's presence and his activity in Artsakh are the internal affairs of Artsakh and in no way can be a topic of discussion for the government of Azerbaijan, Artsakhpress reports.