Armenia deputy FM: Azerbaijan always resorts to provocation before or after negotiations

Azerbaijan always resorts to provocations before or after negotiations, and this has become a habit, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan said in a briefing with reporters Friday.

Since Thursday, the Azerbaijani side has been firing at the Armenian combat positions of Gegharkunik Province on a regular basis. As a result, the Armenian side has six wounded soldiers.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a new way of working. I have been in the system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [of Armenia] since 1995, and I do not recall a single round of negotiations where there were no such provocations either before the meeting or after the meeting; unfortunately, such a habit has been formed [by Azerbaijan],” said the Armenian deputy FM.

To the questions as to what agreements were reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington last week and what kind of progress we are talking about, the Armenian official said: “The progress was about getting a better understanding of the approaches of both sides; that was done. The American side did everything possible to create a positive atmosphere. It was a really effective phase to bring those positions closer together on the draft of a possible [peace] treaty [between Armenia and Azerbaijan]. Of course, there are a number of key issues that still need to be discussed. That’s why the meeting at the highest level is being organized [for Sunday] in Brussels, which will be followed by the meeting in Moscow at the level of foreign ministers, and there will be other meetings as well.”

As per to Hovhannisyan, the Moscow meeting will to some extent be a logical continuation of the negotiations in Washington, but at the same time, each format has its own uniqueness.

Another high-level meeting is expected in Chisinau on June 1, although Azerbaijan has not yet confirmed its participation in it. This meeting will be a repetition of the Prague format, with the participation of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the head of the European Council, and the president of France.

According to the Armenian deputy FM, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also expected to attend.

“The participation of Germany and France will be a positive contribution, as it’s about two influential EU countries,” added Paruyr Hovhannisyan.