Today, during Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's press conference, one of the journalists recalled Pashinyan's words, according to which the Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercise is a threat to Armenia.

"At the same time, you say that the CSTO military exercise in RA was not appropriate in such a situation. It is assumed that the CSTO exercise was supposed to be a threat to the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem. The question arises as to what is not appropriate, and whether the actions of your Government on this background do not give grounds for making claims that, for example, your government is pursuing a policy of fear or a policy of begging for peace," the journalist asked.

Responding, Pashinyan said:  "There was an answer in your question. Let's just take the text of your question as a starting point. You say that the CSTO exercise in Armenia would be a threat to the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, so why don't you do the exercise in Armenia?  For a very simple reason.  I am answering based on your text.  The CSTO came, created a threat for the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, then said goodbye, we left.  Did you imagine that situation?  We say: let's understand what is the area of ​​responsibility of the CSTO, and then build our relations institutionally and deeply.  When the CSTO does not say what its area of ​​responsibility is, it is a fundamental problem for us.  It does not record where the red line passes.  Sotk does not pass through Khoznavar, it does not pass by Jermuk.  Before we know it, we will be in that situation, we will invite, we will say: let's create a threat for the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, for two days, rest on the third day, go to your business on the fourth day, we will go to rebuke that tandem."

 Speaking about fear, Pashinyan said that we should act as responsibly as possible.  "Vazgen Sargsyan used to say: I am afraid of those who are not afraid of anything.  We must act with maximum responsibility.  There are threats, there are opportunities, there are relations, we have to deal with all that.  As for begging for peace, I agree that you can't have peace by begging, you can have peace by earning it.  There is a saying that it is possible to have peace by forcing peace, our experience has shown that it does not work either, but that peace must be earned, that is obvious."

 In his opinion, peace can be achieved first of all by changing the viewpoints to a certain extent, correctly assessing the situations and realities, taking maximally calculated steps, increasing the role and visibility of Armenia in the international arena, changing relations in the region with a higher level of institutional establishment of Armenia.  

"We can have peace if we are able to establish tolerant relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, form a field of certain agreements and develop our relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Georgia.  This is the peace formula and the resources of the international community that can help us in this matter, these resources and opportunities should be used."

 To the question: "You do not rely on the CSTO, but you believe in the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey", Pashinyan answered:  "I am counting on the CSTO, but it's another thing that it can disappoint.  And I believe in the normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey for one reason, because before doing anything, you have to believe in it somehow, if you don't agree, why are you doing it, if we don't agree, why are we negotiating?  Experience shows that negotiation for form does not lead to a good place."