Armenian PM: Defeat in 44-day war in Artsakh created "opportunity for an independent country"

YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan thinks that the opportunity for Armenia to have an independent state was gained as a result of the defeat in the 44-day war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2020.

"In my opinion, having gone through this defeat, we gained the opportunity to have an independent and sovereign state," he said in Washington during a meeting with representatives of the Armenian community in the United States. He expressed confidence that those who died in the war sacrificed their lives for Armenia's independence and emphasized that the focus should be on utilizing the opportunities that have emerged.

Pashinyan thinks that "due to certain circumstances," a lot of negativity has accumulated towards Armenia in the South Caucasus region. "It is very important to be able to manage this negativity, and there are several ways to do so. We are doing the right thing by addressing this negativity calmly and using the most effective approaches," he stated.

In his opinion, in order to fully capitalize on the opportunities gained through suffering and loss and to ensure Armenia's long-term survival, it is necessary to create a situation where "we can live in our region, alongside our neighbors, without external assistance and interference." Pashinyan added that this does not rule out the creation of alliances and cooperation with geopolitical powers.