By Astghik Bedevian
YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Two days after the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan reportedly made progress during talks in Brussels, the Armenian government again declined to clarify on Tuesday whether it recognizes Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Charles Michel, the European Union chief who hosted the talks, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “confirmed their unequivocal commitment to … respective territorial integrity of Armenia (29,800 square kilometers) and Azerbaijan (86,600 square kilometers).”
The total Soviet-era area of Azerbaijan cited by Michel includes Karabakh.
“Negotiations are ongoing on the provision of international guarantees for ensuring Nagorno-Karabakh’s rights and security,” Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan repeatedly told reporters as they pressed him on the implications of Michel’s statement.
Safaryan said Armenia always recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. “So there is nothing new here,” he said.
