We Leave the Fate of Artsakh on Armenia's Conscience Amid Attempts to Shift Responsibility to Third Countries: Russian MFA

Armenia is attempting to shift the responsibility for the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh onto third countries. This statement was made by Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on the remarks of the Armenian Prime Minister regarding Russia's role as a guarantor of security in Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to Zakharova, all of Russia's obligations are enshrined in the trilateral declaration of November 9. One only needs to look at the document to understand what obligations exist and which do not.

“The Russian peacekeepers are doing everything within their power to prevent escalation and stabilize the situation. They are doing this in their area of responsibility. Of course, a lot also depends on the actions and statements of all involved parties. We believe that those statements should be constructive and aimed at overall success,” said Zakharova.

She noted that often behind the statements of the Russian Foreign Ministry lie detailed efforts and titanic work directed at fulfilling all agreements.

“We view the statements of the Armenian leadership as a continuation of the line taken at the Prague summit held under the auspices of the European Union. Therefore, we leave it to the conscience of the Armenian side and their leadership regarding attempts to shift the responsibility for the fate of Artsakh onto third countries,” Zakharova stated.

Zakharova commented on Prime Minister Pashinyan’s statements regarding the CSTO. When asked whether Russia should protect Karabakh if Azerbaijan wishes to seize territories in the peacekeepers' area of responsibility, Zakharova replied that she could only comment on the current situation.

“It is inappropriate to talk about what it would all look like if something were to happen. In this case, such statements are very harmful because they lead to speculation. If something happens that requires a response, we will respond. Engaging in modeling is extremely dangerous,” she noted.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in response to a question about actions in the event of Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh that Russia has taken on the function of a guarantor of security in Nagorno-Karabakh.