Secretary of Security Council talks about joining the Union State, security in the region, delimitation and demarcation of the border and Russian peacekeepers

Touching upon the statement of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko about Armenia, the Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan said that Armenia's agenda doesn't include the issue of joining the Union State. 

"Armenia has responded: the MPs have responded, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded, the ambassador was invited, this was also mentioned in the NA yesterday. I think there was a comprehensive response, and I hope that from now on the Belarusian side will avoid any assessment regarding Armenia, since these assessments in no way come from the existing relations between Armenia and Belarus," Armen Grigoryan said.

The authorities of Armenia are regularly assessing the current security environment around the country and are taking actions over it, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan said, when asked to comment on why Armenia is not officially responding to the ratification of the “Shushi Declaration” by the Turkish and Azerbaijani parliaments.

"We are regularly assessing the security environment around us and are taking actions connected with it. Some of these steps could be publicly, and some not, but each process that is taking place in the region is in our spotlight, and if necessary, we are responding in different ways," he said.

Armen Grigoryan also touched upon the issue of delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. 

Armenia has never put forward preconditions on the issue of delimitation and demarcation, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan told journalists in the government, commenting on the statement of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov that Azerbaijan is ready for delimitation and demarcation of the border, but allegedly Armenia puts forward new preconditions.

"Armenia simply demanded that all the agreements that were marked last year on November 26 in Sochi be implemented. The statement notes to take steps to improve security, and then begin the process of delimitation and demarcation. In addition, there is one important circumstance. when the Armed Forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan are very close to each other, any political process can affect this environment, and there will be aggravations," he said.

The Secretary of the Security Council noted that there can not even be a perception of any preconditions.

Talking about the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Grigoryan said, that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement must take place within the format of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

"We must find a peaceful resolution. Any process that could disrupt the peaceful settlement is concerning for us, and we believe that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries have all levers and possibilities to prevent any steps taken militarily," he said.

Grigoryan said as long as the Nagorno Karabakh conflict isn’t resolved the Russian peacekeepers must be deployed there in order for there to be a chance for finding a long-term solution.

"As long as there is no solution, the activities of the peacekeepers there is a necessity. The Republic of Armenia will continue to work, in order for the peacekeepers to be deployed there and stay there for as long as we find a solution to the issue," Grigoryan said.

Turkey hasn't taken any steps without consulting Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan supports this process. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated this on TRT Haber, speaking about the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

"We haven't taken any steps without consulting Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan also prefers that we be in direct contact with Armenia," he said. 

Çavuşoğlu noted that Azerbaijan's victory in the Karabakh war has put an end to this problem in the South Caucasus. "Now there should be peace and cooperation. We need to work for the development of the region by implementing important programs in the region. For that all countries must have the same understanding. Everyone should be involved in this process. No one should be excluded, including Armenia."

According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, there is a lesson and opportunities after the Karabakh victory․ "Right after the victory, we gave positive signals. Pashinyan gave important messages after winning the elections. Our president gave positive answers to that. We appointed special envoys that met in Moscow. Then they will meet in Vienna on February 24."

Çavuşoğlu also stressed that Azerbaijan also wants a lasting peace with Armenia.

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