Mirzoyan denies that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached secret verbal agreement on Karabakh

YEREVAN, Oct. 5. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan denied today rumors claiming that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a secret verbal agreement.

Former Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian claimed in a newspaper story that there was a secret agreement between the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the future of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabkh).

"This is an Azerbaijani narrative, claiming that Armenia has taken on some obligations, but has not fulfilled them. This narrative legitimizes Baku's aggression against Armenia. I would advise Mr. Oskanian and others to pay attention to this aspect of the issue as well," Mirzoyan said during a government Q&A session in parliament.

Mirzoyan said also that additional security guarantees for Armenia were being considered. "There is a general perception that the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from the sovereign territory of Armenia and the conclusion of a peace treaty will not create the necessary guarantees for Armenia and more will be needed," Mirzoyan said.

He said the deployment of an international observer mission or other mechanism on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border may be required.

"Another mechanism, for example, distancing and withdrawal of troops from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. There are various mechanisms, including an international monitoring mechanism and this issue is being actively discussed," the minister said.

Following Azerbaijan's latest aggression against Armenia on September 13-14, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan argued in favor of deployment of an international monitoring mission to the border with Azerbaijan. -0-