Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan assessed the recent statement by Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev as not conducive to peace, while stressing that an exchange of sharp statements could negatively affect efforts to consolidate peace.
During a discussion in the National Assembly, Tigran Abrahamyan, secretary of the “Strong Armenia” faction, referred to Hikmet Hajiyev’s statement that Armenia and Armenian society must apologize to Azerbaijan. He asked Mirzoyan why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade had not responded to that statement, and to what extent such rhetoric contributes to the peace process.
Mirzoyan noted that the government led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is building peace while aware of the difficulties and obstacles on that path. According to him, the Armenian side is trying to strengthen peace and avoid a return to the logic of former confrontation.
“I assure you, I know so many bombastic and patriotic words, I know so many pathetic words. The question is the following: will doing that be of any help? You have just brought one example that does not help. Of course it does not help,” Mirzoyan said.
The minister added that a sharper response could be followed by an even sharper reaction from the other side, leading the parties down the path of negative developments.
The deputy’s additional question concerned whether such a statement could later become yet another precondition for the signing of the peace treaty.
In reply, Mirzoyan touched upon the consequences of the conflict and the pain suffered by the two societies, stressing the need to move to a phase of peace and cooperation.
“The wounds are very fresh, the conflict has just ended, there have been victims and blood on this side, there have been victims and blood on that side. But that conflict must be ended and a phase of peace and cooperation must be entered. We will benefit from that, they will benefit from that,” the minister noted.
