Pashinyan doubts Armenian refugees will return to Nagorno-Karabakh

YEREVAN, September 2. /ARKA/. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed skepticism about the possibility of Armenian refugees returning to Artsakh under the conditions proposed by the Armenian opposition, particularly by representatives of the former authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

"The Armenian government did not sign the decision to dissolve Nagorno-Karabakh. On the contrary, before this decision was made, there was a change of power in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was facilitated by certain circles in Armenia known to all of us, and this was welcomed," Pashinyan stated during a press conference on Saturday.

The Prime Minister noted that he had been accused of obstructing the departure of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and is now being criticized for allegedly hindering their return.

Former Foreign Minister of Artsakh, Karen Mirzoyan, recently asserted that the issue of returning Armenians to Artsakh should be a part of the political agenda. He believes that this issue cannot be resolved without considering the rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Mirzoyan pointed out attempts to revise and abandon the principles outlined in Armenia's Declaration of Independence.

On September 19-20, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against Artsakh, using artillery, drones, and combat aircraft. Following negotiations with the Azerbaijani side, Artsakh's President Samvel Shahramanyan issued a decree on September 28 dissolving all state institutions of the republic, effectively ending the existence of the Republic of Artsakh as of January 1, 2024.