Armenian PM regrets delayed recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed regret over the late recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.

Pashinyan made the remarks during a press conference, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“Yes, in 2022 I recognised the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, including Karabakh. This decision should have been made much earlier,” he said, emphasising that the recognition was correct from political, legal, and moral perspectives.

Pashinyan explained that Armenia cannot acknowledge its own territorial integrity without also recognising the territorial integrity of its neighbours, as these issues are interconnected.

“Therefore, on October 6, 2022, as Prime Minister of Armenia, I recognised the territorial integrity of Armenia,” he added.

Pashinyan’s recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, including Karabakh, was formalized during a quadrilateral meeting in Prague on October 6, 2022, involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, and the European Council. This acknowledgment was part of a broader effort to normalize relations with Azerbaijan and secure Armenia’s own borders.

By Khagan Isayev