“Those who cry for Shurnukh… fine, I understand that an entire generation grew up in Syunik that didn’t see how that area was Azerbaijan, but fine, they can ask their political bosses,” acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a meeting with Civil Contract supporters in Ajapnyak.
He spoke about the construction of the North-South route. “That was planned long before we came to power, back in 2011-2012, as well as how that road is to pass. The Artashat-Yeghegnadzor section has been designed by the non-capitulating government of the Republic of Armenia as follows: the North-South route will not reach Yeraskh or turn around and rise towards Paruyr Sevak and Tigranashen. Instead, it will go towards Vedi, continue through Urtsadzor, and come out under Zangakatun. As a result, the road became 70-100 million dollars more expensive. Why did you draw such a line, complicate $100 million with tunnels and I do not know what. Why were you doing that, patriotic friends? In order not to pass through Tigranashen, because international donors should have been involved in that big project. That government said, no, we cannot go through there. Let them answer.”
Nikol Pashinyan urged people not to scare him with the issue of the enclaves. “Serzh Sargsyan announced that he said he would hand over the seven regions, but Azerbaijan refused. Can you imagine? I didn’t say that. Serzh Sargsyan said that new demands would be made every time. Can you imagine, Armenia is giving the seven regions, they refuse, and new demands are made? Let’s think this through logically. What other demands could Azerbaijan have made? It would have made demands for Artsakh, Meghri, and the enclaves.”
Pashinyan said that the war Azerbaijan is trying to force upon us can and will be avoided. “People, you’re telling me not to say anything, but why shouldn’t I? I’m not a thief. There was so much talk about the Sev Lake water, maps of the Soviet Union were published, and we all saw that the upper part goes through the water. Now let’s look, let’s study, if it really is so, let’s say yes or no, we will start a war for that 30% of Lake Sev. It will not be like that, no, we will not aggravate the situation. One of the co-chair countries responded in advance. I hope the other two co-chairs will respond, it can be done today. Troops can withdraw without any preconditions until the observers arrive. If we are not there either, there is no population on the Azerbaijani side to say that something will happen. Let our people feed the flocks and herds until the observers arrive.”
Read also
Hripsime Jebejyan
