YEREVAN, APRIL 30, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP from the Yelk faction of the Armenian parliament Nikol Pashinyan, a candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming May 1 election, says if elected he is planning to get hold of the negotiations process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in a short period of time.

Nikol Pashinyan was speaking with Republican Party (HHK) faction MPs at an open format meeting in the parliament on April 30.

MP Karen Bekaryan from the ruling Republican party asked Pashinyan about his vision over the NK issue. “If the approach will be positioned in the context of continuity, in that case what do you think how much time will it require for you to fully enter this process, with all its nuances, along with negotiations elements. And secondly, what methodology do you imagine for being involved, included and fully aware of this all. And if you are planning some change, as much as possible what can you say about these changes or modulations”, Bekaryan asked the opposition leader.

In response, Pashinyan said that the NK issue is one of the most important issues and it is obvious that the negotiations and settlement of the issue must be fit into the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Regarding the timing of mastering the issue – I believe it is necessary to master the issue in the possible shortest period of time.  The methodology must be institutional, because there are relevant institutions in Armenia and they must care in order for me to have all necessary information in the event of being elected Prime Minister,” Pashinyan said.

According to him, generally the methodology of work should be institutional.

“We have always said that the tastes of persons and personal subjective opinions shouldn’t determine state policy in any given sector. Certainly, individuals have their role, but this role should be balanced. I believe, there are institutions in our country which have been accomplished and they can carry out the role of this balance and where there is disproportion and there is a need for counterbalance, then out of context of this question, there will also be a need for counterbalancing this,” he said.

Speaking about the ongoing situation of the NK issue, Pashinyan said that there is no great amplitude in Armenia in this direction, because the rhetoric which is used today by the current leadership of Azerbaijan doesn’t create atmosphere for true settlement.

“Settlement requires an atmosphere of settlement, establishing peace requires an atmosphere of peace. I think for any representative of Armenia it is problematic to negotiate with a representative of a country which regularly threatens to carry out aggressive actions against certain parts of Armenia and the latest “masterpiece” was making [territorial claims] against Yerevan [ referring to Aliyev’s infamous statement].

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the international community must record that speaking about settlement in such conditions isn’t real. An atmosphere of peace must exist for peace, an atmosphere of peace cannot be established in conditions of aggressive rhetoric, at least this approach cannot be acceptable,” Pashinyan said, adding that the latest processes should also seriously strengthen Armenia’s positions in the NK negotiations process.

“I think, the national awakening, the national unification, which we have, I hope we will maintain with joint efforts. This, of course, should strengthen Armenia’s positions in the negotiations process, should contribute to increasing the combat-efficiency of our military and generally to increasing public spirit, which I think doesn’t whatsoever have a secondary role in this process,” Pashinyan said.

Bekaryan recorded that there is clarity that Pashinyan plans to enter the negotiations process of NK issue in a very short period of time.

“If you get elected Prime Minister tomorrow – a simple urge, in order for the NK issue to be the biggest priority, because in any case it isn’t clear how must time this process will point out or create. Secondly, it is understandable that in this environment, in the presence of the media, it is difficult to speak about nuances, modulations, and in this context I would like us to consider the possibility of having closed format discussions”, Bekaryan said.

On April 23, at 16:00, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. 

On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned.

First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

The Speaker of Parliament announced that elections of a new Prime Minister will be held May 1.

On April 28, HHK, the ruling party, said it will not nominate a candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming election.

The Tsarukyan faction also said it will not nominate a candidate and endorsed “the people’s candidate”.

On April 29, the ARF said they endorse the candidacy of Nikol Pashinyan for the upcoming election on May 1.

On April 30 the opposition Yelk faction officially nominated Pashinyan for the upcoming PM election.  The three other factions – the HHK, Tsarukyan, and ARF, announced they will not nominate a candidate.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly.  The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats. 

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan