News - Pashinyan: Defending, restoring Armenia's territorial integrity is on government's agenda

The Armenian government is conceding to Azerbaijan the strategic position of Armenia and weakening its defense; it is not clear what Armenia gets in return. Opposition MP Levon Kocharyan asked about this to PM Nikol Pashinyan during the National Assembly’s (NA) question-and-answer session with the Armenian government Wednesday. Nikol Pashinyan responded that in return, Armenia gets a state border. "Our security must be based, among other things, on the grounds of legitimacy; we shall have a state border. Defending, restoring Armenia's territorial integrity is on the government's agenda," Pashinyan added. Levon Kocharyan responded that Azerbaijan does not share this approach. In response, Pashinyan once again showed the model of the map of Armenia from the NA rostrum, stating: "What are we ceding? This is the Republic of Armenia, of which I am the Prime Minister, and the agreement which was recorded at the international level, that Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize each other's territorial integrity, they [i.e. Azerbaijan] must recognize. This is the Republic of Armenia, and no one is going to cede the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Armenia to anyone. Yes, there are territories of the Republic of Armenia that are under [Azerbaijani] occupation."