Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku and representatives of the former political and military leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh is constantly on the agenda of the Armenian authorities. He made the remarks during a meeting at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin.
According to the Prime Minister, resolving the issue of Armenians held in Baku requires strengthening the peace established in the region and overcoming the hostile atmosphere.
“The issue of prisoners is one of the important issues in our reality. But to resolve this issue, we need to strengthen peace. Otherwise, it will not be resolved. The presence of prisoners reflects the hostile atmosphere. If hostility deepens, it will mean that this issue definitely will not be resolved, 100%,” Pashinyan said.
He stressed that the Armenian authorities consistently raise the issue of Armenians held in Baku during diplomatic contacts and will not abandon their efforts to secure their release.
“By the way, this issue is on our agenda. It has always been there and remains on our agenda today, and we constantly raise it in diplomatic contacts. We never forget this issue, and, of course, we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that these people are released from prison,” the Prime Minister stated.
Addressing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, Pashinyan noted that growing hostility and anger could lead to the continuation of the conflict and war. According to him, the Armenian authorities’ goal is to overcome hostility, conflict and despair and ensure a peaceful future.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the “Real Armenia” ideology, emphasizing that it is based on Armenia’s state and national interests.
“We must change the destiny of our people. To do that, we must overcome anger, hostility, despair and hopelessness; we must stop relying on others and rely on ourselves,” Pashinyan said.
He added that the Republic of Armenia is the entity fully committed to protecting the national interests of its citizens.
