'What is acceptable to us is unacceptable to Azerbaijan': Pashinyan rules out 'diplomatic deal' over Artsakh

We need the clear realization of the fact that the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict has no diplomatic solution at the moment and from now on, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook live on Wednesday.

In his address to the nation, the Armenian leader ruled out the practicability of all the proposed diplomatic efforts, which he said "have thoroughly exhausted themselves". 

"We have repeatedly expressed our willingness for a compromise-based solution. And compromise means the lowering of our target level to a certain extent provided that the opposite side too, will lower something. But practice shows that whatever is acceptable to the Armenian side within that logic is no longer acceptable to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan does not agree to what we agree - or will agree to - in the future. That demonstrates that it doesn't absolutely make any sense to speak about a diplomatic solution at the current stage,"  the prime minister added.

Noting that Azerbaijan agrees only to Artsakh's capitulation, an option which Armenia never accepts, Pashinyan reiterated the well-known thesis (actual since the 1990s) that "there is no Armenia without Artsakh". He called for persistent efforts towards carrying through the struggle to Armenia's advantage.

Addressing the Moscow authorities' role in the process, the premier highly appreciated the Armenian-Russian cooperation. "We do feel Russia's support as a strategic ally of Armenia and the Armenian people, and we maintain permanent contact. We have cooperated and will cooperate on the highest level to find a way out of this situation," he added.

Re-emphasizing the importance of a selfless struggle, Pashinyan called for an unwavering support to the people's rights.

"And to struggle for the people's rights under such conditions means, first of all, taking up arms to selflessly dedicate ourselves to the fatherland's defense. In case of an effective and continuing organization of that process we will eventually manage to arrive at a diplomatic solution acceptable to us," he said, adding that the desired outcome should be also final.

Meantime, Pashinyan agreed that the process must be organized and realized "by the political leadership of the people". "Today, I indiscriminately address my call to all our mayors, village governors, public and local government administrations and their heads to take up the leadership and form volunteer detachments to embark upon the protection of our people's rights," he added.