Zhoghovurd: More changes expected along Armenian-Azerbaijani border as Pashinyan schedules new trip to Moscow

The paper says it has gained access to certain details pertaining to the agenda of Nikol Pashinyan’s upcoming visit to Moscow.  

As part of his working trip to the Russian capital, the acting prime minister is reportedly scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin to discuss, among other things, possibilities of deploying Russian peacekeeping troops along Armenia’s eastern border.

Pashinyan hinted at the scenario back in May at a meeting with his Civil Contract party, says the paper, noting that he gave the clear knowledge at the time that either monitoring groups representing the OSCE Minsk Group mission or border guards and observers might be deployed at the Sotk-Khoznavar section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani interstate border (in case of the withdrawal of the two countries’ troops).

“If Russia accepts the idea, we may as well have Russian border guards or monitoring groups from the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship - or else both border guards and observers,” he the paper quotes him as saying at the meeting held at the party’s central headquarters.

Meantime, the paper says, Pashinyan also stressed the importance of specific guarantees for the withdrawal of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops. And now after his re-election to office, the acting prime minister is thought to be little by little realizing his program.

Citing its sources, the paper claims that negotiations over the reported plan will end in the signing of a corresponding document in Moscow.

Noting that Azerbaijani troops still remain on Armenia’s territory after the incursions on May 12, the paper raises the vital question over the deployment sites and future border demarcation processes.