Pashinyan says the priority is to prevent situation from getting out of control

YEREVAN, May 19. /ARKA/. The situation in Syunik and Gegharkunik regions is stable, but tense, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said today, adding that Armenia continues consultations with the Collective Security Treaty Organization on how to end the border crisis with Azerbaijan, whose troops have invaded Armenia's sovereign territory.

Pashinyan said although the process with CSTO is not as fast as Armenia would like it to be, 'but there are collective security mechanisms, and we continue to work to have them launched.'

Pashinyan said Armenian will step up diplomatic efforts to increase international pressure on Azerbaijan.

"Naturally, we will continue to work with our strategic partner - the Russian Federation. You know that I have asked President Putin for support and consultations in this direction will also continue," he said.

Pashinyan described Azerbaijan's actions as destructive. He stressed that Azerbaijan is seeking to increase tensions in the region in a bid to disrupt the further implementation of the statements the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan signed November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021.

"The Azerbaijani armed forces must leave the sovereign territory of Armenia. I want to emphasize that the talk about demarcation and delimitation of the border is inappropriate now, and again I want to note that Armenia continues its diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue," he said.

In his words, this does not mean that the Armenian armed forces are inactive: 'they carry out tactical actions, but our priority and task is to prevent the situation from getting out of control in any way." -0-