Armenian Prime Minister Rules Out 'Leasing' Syunik

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan denied Friday speculations that his government was going to lease the southern region of Syunik to a third party.

"I spoke about this issue based on Armenian legislation. The Syunik region is and will remain part of the Republic of Armenia. I believe this issue was resolved with the signed declaration. We have agreed not to make territorial claims against each other," Pashinyan said at a press conference in Washington on Saturday after trilateral talks with US and Azerbaijani presidents at the White House.

According to Pashinyan, there is no point in creating something that does not exist.

"We need to rely on what has been written, signed, and published. Such a question or concern cannot arise at all," he said.

A declaration was signed following the August 8 trilateral meeting in Washington between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, US President Donald Trump, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

The document consists of seven points, including the initialing of the agreed text of the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan by the Foreign Ministers of the parties, as well as the need to continue actions to sign and ratify it.

It also includes the signing of a statement by the Foreign Ministers of both countries on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Process and related structures.

The document also calls for efforts to ensure unimpeded communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through the territory of Armenia, based on respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of states.

Additionally, it calls for Armenia's cooperation with the United States and other countries to determine the framework for implementing the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity project in Armenia. -0-